What is the PBS safety net in Australia?

The PBS Safety Net protects patients and their families requiring a large number of PBS or RPBS items. 


The family includes the person:

  • the partner or de facto partner;
  • the children under the age of 16  or
  • dependent full-time students under the age of 25.


 When a patient reaches the Safety Net threshold within a calendar year, they qualify to receive PBS or RPBS items at a cheaper price or free of charge for the rest of that year. Any applicable special patient contributions, brand premiums or therapeutic group premiums must still be met by the patient.


Safety Net thresholds

The general patient Safety Net threshold is currently $1,486.80. When a person and/or their family's total applicable co-payments reach this amount  they then pay the concessional co-payment amount of $6.60 plus any applicable premium for pharmaceutical benefits for the rest of that calendar year.


The concessional Safety Net threshold is $316.80 (this also applies to gold, white or orange card holders under the RPBS). When a patient reach this amount they may receive pharmaceutical benefits free of charge (except for any applicable premium) for the rest of that calendar year.


Brand premiums, therapeutic group premiums and special patient contributions do not count towards the Safety Net thresholds.


The Safety Net thresholds are adjusted on 1 January each year in line with inflation.

 

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