About the PBS

This section of the website contains information on the history of the PBS, patient co-payment amounts and the total cost of the PBS.

For 60 years, the Commonwealth Government’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) has provided reliable, timely and affordable access to a wide range of medicines for all Australians.
Many medicines cost the Government much more than the price you pay – some cost hundreds, even thousands of dollars, but the government provides a subsidy so that you pay much less. You receive the benefit of this subsidy when you have your prescription for a medicine filled under the PBS.

Current provisions governing the operations of the PBS are embodied in Part VII of the National Health Act 1953 together with the National Health (Pharmaceutical Benefits) Regulations 1960 made under the Act.

The scheme has proven itself to be one of the best drug subsidy systems in the world and around 80% of prescriptions dispensed in Australia are subsidised under the PBS.

Every time you fill a prescription for a PBS medicine you receive a subsidy. From 1 January 2008, you pay up to $31.30* for most PBS medicines or $5.00* if you have a concession card. The Australian Government pays the remaining cost.

The PBS covered around 170 million prescriptions in the year to June 2007. This equates to about eight prescriptions per person in Australia for the year.

With new and more effective medicines helping us to lead longer and healthier lives, the PBS is growing each year. The cost of the PBS is currently around $6 billion per year.

It’s important that we all use the PBS responsibly so we can continue to enjoy access to cost-effective medicines now and in the future.

* Under current arrangements, these amounts are normally adjusted in line with inflation on 1 January each year.