How much does a PBS prescription cost?

As of 2026, PBS prescriptions cost up to $25.00 for general patients and $7.70 for concession card holders. Once you reach the PBS Safety Net threshold, costs are reduced further.

What is the PBS Safety Net?

The PBS Safety Net reduces prescription costs once your family spends a certain amount on PBS medicines in a calendar year. For general patients, the threshold is $1,748.20 (2026). For concession card holders, it's $277.20.

PBS Prescription Cost Calculator

Find out what your next PBS prescription will cost — and check your Safety Net progress. Want the price of a specific medicine? Try the PBS Price Checker — search by brand or ingredient.

📋 Source: Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) — Department of Health. PBS patient co-payments and Safety Net thresholds.
Your doctor or healthcare provider knows your history and circumstances — always follow their personalised advice over general information.

What is the PBS?

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) is how the Australian government subsidises prescription medications. Without the PBS, many medications would cost hundreds of dollars. With it, you pay a fixed co-payment and the government covers the rest.

General patient

$25.00

max per PBS script

Concession card holder

$7.70

max per PBS script

How the PBS Safety Net works

If you or your family fill a lot of prescriptions, the costs add up. The PBS Safety Net kicks in once your co-payments reach a threshold in a calendar year:

General patients

After $1,748.20 in co-payments → you pay $7.70 per script for the rest of the year (same as concession rate).

Concession card holders

After $277.20 in co-payments → your prescriptions are free for the rest of the year.

💡 How to track it: Ask your pharmacy for a PBS Safety Net record card. Get it stamped every time you fill a script. Once you hit the threshold, take it to any pharmacy and they'll give you a PBS Safety Net Concession Card for the rest of the year. Or check in myGov → Medicare → PBS Safety Net.

What will my script cost?

What type of patient are you?

General patient Concession card holder

Concession cards include: Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card, Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

Have you reached the PBS Safety Net this year?

No / Not sure Yes — I have my Safety Net card

Approximate PBS spend so far this calendar year ($) (optional)

Check your PBS Safety Net balance via your Medicare online account (myGov) or ask your pharmacist.

Is the medicine a brand premium item? (optional)

No / Not sure Yes — I asked for a specific brand

If you request a specific brand when a cheaper generic is available, you may pay an additional brand premium on top of the co-payment.

Find the exact price of your medicine

The amounts above are the maximum you'll pay. Many medicines — especially generics — have a PBS price below the co-payment, so a general patient pays that lower amount instead of the full $25.00.

Search any routine medicine by brand name (e.g. Ventolin) or active ingredient (e.g. salbutamol) — you'll see what general patients and concession card holders actually pay.

💊 Check a specific medicine's price →

Covers routine community-pharmacy medicines. For hospital-only, chemotherapy, IVF, or highly specialised drugs, check the official PBS Schedule on pbs.gov.au. Prices below the co-payment can vary slightly between pharmacies. Brand premiums (charged if you choose a specific brand over a cheaper equivalent) are extra and do not count towards your Safety Net.

PBS co-payment rates (current)

As of 2026, PBS co-payment amounts are:

General patients: Up to $25.00 per prescription

Concession card holders: Up to $7.70 per prescription

After reaching the Safety Net:

General patients pay the concessional rate ($7.70)

Concession card holders pay $0 (free)

Safety Net thresholds (2026):

General patients: $1,748.20 in co-payments per calendar year

Concession card holders: $277.20 in co-payments per calendar year

Rates are updated on 1 January each year. Co-payments count towards the Safety Net for the patient and their eligible family members. Keep all your PBS receipts and record your prescriptions in the PBS Safety Net record.

Tips to reduce your prescription costs

1. Ask for the generic. If a generic version of your medication is available, ask your pharmacist to dispense it. This avoids brand premiums and the medication is therapeutically equivalent.

2. Track your Safety Net. Keep a PBS Safety Net record (available from pharmacies or Medicare). Once you hit the threshold, you'll pay less for the rest of the year.

3. Check if you're eligible for a concession card. Health Care Cards are available through Centrelink for low-income earners, and Commonwealth Seniors Health Cards for self-funded retirees.

4. Ask about 60-day dispensing. Many common medications are now available as 60-day supplies for a single co-payment, effectively halving your cost for those medicines.

5. Use the same pharmacy. Some pharmacies track your Safety Net automatically if you use their loyalty program.

What if my medicine isn't on the PBS?

Not all medications are subsidised by the PBS. If your medication is not PBS-listed, you'll pay the full private price, which can vary significantly between pharmacies.

Tips: Shop around — prices can vary by $20+ between pharmacies. Ask your doctor if there is a PBS-listed alternative. Some medications are covered under the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (RPBS) for veterans.

You can check if your medicine is on the PBS at pbs.gov.au.

💊

PBS Price Checker

Check the cost of a specific medicine — brand or ingredient.

📦

Medicine Shortages

Check if your medication is in shortage in Australia.

💰

MedCost Finder

Find cheaper medication options.

🛡️

Medicare Safety Net