Medi-Nav Orientation Resource v6, 2024

Further information is available on the Services Australia website: https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/subjects/how-claim-medicare-benefit/bulk-billing 1.1.6 Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) is a system which subsidises or reduces the cost of most prescription medicines. The subsidies are available to all Australian residents and eligible foreign visitors, whose countries have a Reciprocal Healthcare Agreement with Australia. The aim of the PBS is to provide reliable and affordable access to a large range of necessary medicines. The Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits lists all medicines available under the PBS and explains how they can be used to obtain a subsidy. The schedule is updated monthly and is available at : http://www.pbs.gov.au/pbs/home 1.1.7 PBS prescribing Pharmaceutical benefits can only be prescribed by doctors, dentists, optometrists, midwives and nurse practitioners who are approved to prescribe PBS medicines under the National Health Act 1953 . A guide for medical practitioners when writing a PBS prescription in public hospitals is available at: http://www.pbs.gov.au/info/healthpro/explanatory-notes/section1/Section_1_2_Explanatory_ Notes#Authority-PBS The Queensland Department of Health publishes guidelines and fact sheets about safe use of medicines, which can be accessed at https://www.health.qld.gov.au/clinical-practice/guidelines-procedures/medicines https://www.health.qld.gov.au/clinical-practice/guidelines-procedures/medicines/safety 1.1.8 Patient charges There are two types of patients under the PBS – general patients and concessional patients. General patients hold a Medicare card, whilst concessional patients hold a Medicare card plus one of the following cards issued by Centrelink: pensioner concession card; healthcare card; DVA White, Gold or Orange card (also called repatriation health cards); Commonwealth Seniors Health Card. For further information visit: http://www.pbs.gov.au/info/healthpro/explanatory-notes/section1/Section_1_4_Explanatory_Notes 1.1.9 PBS Safety Net A safety net arrangement applies when the total amount which a patient must pay for medications (or the total co-payments) in a calendar year reaches a certain limit. From that time until the end of the calendar year, the co-payment for each medication reduces to a smaller amount. Further information about the safety net arrangement and review schedule is available at: http://www.pbs.gov.au/info/about-the-pbs