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Eighth Community Pharmacy Agreement (8CPA)

The Eighth Community Pharmacy Agreement (8CPA) supports all Australians to access safe, affordable life-saving medicines and services through community pharmacies. Learn who’s involved in this agreement, what it covers and how we assess it.

About the 8CPA

The 8CPA is between the:

The 8CPA commenced on 1 July 2024 and will remain in effect until 30 June 2029.

It outlines the Australian Government’s agreement to reimburse pharmacists for:

  • dispensing subsidised medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
  • community pharmacy medication management programs and services.

The agreement aims to support the central pillars of the National Medicines Policy (2022), which includes:

  • equitable, timely, safe and reliable access to medicines and medicine-related services, at a cost that individuals and the community can afford
  • medicines that meet the required standards of quality, safety, and efficacy
  • quality use of medicines and medicines safety
  • a collaborative, innovative and sustainable medicines industry and research sectors with the capability, capacity, and expertise to respond to current and future health needs.

Addendum to the 8CPA

To make changes to the wholesale mark-up from 1 July 2026, as agreed under the First Pharmaceutical Wholesalers Agreement between the Minister for Health and Ageing and the National Pharmaceutical Services Association, the Minister and the Pharmacy Guild agreed to amend the 8CPA through an Addendum.

The Addendum to the 8CPA was agreed on 12 June 2026 to:

  1. change the wholesale mark-up for medicines dispensed by pharmacists from 1 July 2026, and
  2. adjust the remuneration paid to pharmacists to offset the effects of this change.

Eighth Community Pharmacy Agreement Oversight Forum

The Eighth Community Pharmacy Agreement (8CPA) Agreement Oversight Forum (AOF) is an oversight committee, with members representing the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia. 

The 8CPA AOF is the primary consultation mechanism supporting the achievement of objectives under the 8CPA and builds on work and programs from previous Community Pharmacy Agreements.   

The 8CPA AOF will meet at least twice each financial year from commencement of the 8CPA on 1 July 2024 until 30 June 2029 to monitor the implementation of the agreement. 

Read the Communiques from each meeting.

Eighth Community Pharmacy Agreement Oversight Forum

The Eighth Community Pharmacy Agreement (8CPA) Agreement Oversight Forum (AOF) is an oversight committee, with members representing the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia.

New measures under the 8CPA

The 8CPA brings about a number of new measures including an additional payment to community pharmacies, a temporary freeze on PBS patient co-payments, and phasing out of the optional $1 discount.

Additional Community Supply Support payment

The 8CPA includes a new Additional Community Supply Support (ACSS) payment. This payment provides a means through which the Commonwealth can provide the necessary level of financial support to community pharmacies for the dispensing of PBS medicines, without increasing the costs of medicines for some patients. Read more about the New payments under the Eighth Community Pharmacy Agreement.

PBS Co-payments freeze

Before 1 January 2025, both general and concessional PBS co-payments have been indexed on 1 January each year, in line with the Consumer Price Index. In 2024, the co-payments were $31.60 for general patients and $7.70 for concessional patients.

  • From 1 January 2025, there was:
    • a 1-year freeze on indexation for PBS co-payments for general patients
    • a 5-year freeze on indexation for PBS co-payments for concessional patients.

This means the maximum amount individuals pay for their PBS medicines won’t go up with indexation while the freeze on their co-payment is in place.

$1 Discount phase out

Currently pharmacists can reduce the patient co-payment by applying an ‘allowable discount’, up to an amount of $1 for each supply.

  • From 1 January 2025, the allowable discount will be phased out while annual increases to the PBS co-payment are frozen.
  • The discount will decrease by the amount of indexation that would have applied to PBS co-payments until it reaches zero.

The maximum cost to patients won’t increase. Although patients who were getting the discount may see an effective increase in the price of their medicines from 1 January 2025 as the discount is decreased, they will not be worse off than if PBS co-payments had not been frozen.

  • From 1 January 2026, the allowable discount for general patients has reduced to zero and for concessional patients has reduced to a maximum of 60 cents.

Read more about the current patient fees and charges

Community pharmacy programs administered under the 8CPA

Community pharmacy programs in the 8CPA include:

The 8CPA commits to carry out a Rapid Review of the Community pharmacy programs within the first year of implementation (2024–25).

There will be subsequent development of an evaluation framework for each of the Community Pharmacy Programs. This work will involve consultation with the Pharmacy Guild of Australia and other key pharmacy sector stakeholders.

In December 2022, before negotiations for the 8CPA began, the Department commissioned the University of Sydney to conduct an independent study of the Dose Administration Aids Program under the 7CPA. The study examined program eligibility and explored options for its future. The final report was delivered in March 2025, and its recommendations will help inform the ongoing evaluation and review of Community Pharmacy Programs under the 8CPA.

Pharmacy Programs Administrator Online

The Pharmacy Programs Administrator is responsible for administering, processing and paying claims for community pharmacy programs funded under the 8CPA.

Previous and other agreements

There have been 7 previous community pharmacy agreements. The first was in 1990. See the National Library of Australia’s Trove website for previous agreements.

During the 8CPA negotiations, the Government committed to entering into two separate agreements with:

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