Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing — National Diabetes Services Scheme. health.gov.au.
Product categories and CGM eligibility can change. Confirm current details at ndss.com.au. Current as at June 2026.
A plain-English guide to the NDSS — who can register, what diabetes products it subsidises, what it costs, and how your GP or diabetes educator signs you up.
The quick version
The NDSS is an Australian Government scheme, run by Diabetes Australia, that gives people with diabetes subsidised self-management products like blood glucose test strips, pen needles and glucose monitoring. Registration is free and only needs to be done once — your GP or a credentialled diabetes educator completes the form with you. Insulin and other medicines are not part of the NDSS; they come through the PBS.
Can I register? Quick check
Answer two questions. This is general information about scheme eligibility, not medical advice — your GP or diabetes educator confirms your details when they register you.
What the NDSS subsidises
Blood glucose test strips. Subsidised for people who need them. For people with type 2 diabetes who do not use insulin, access is limited (an initial supply, then continued only in certain situations) — your GP or diabetes educator can explain what applies to you.
Pen needles and syringes. For people who inject insulin or other injectable diabetes medicines.
Urine (ketone) testing strips. Subsidised where needed.
Continuous and flash glucose monitoring (CGM/Flash). All people with type 1 diabetes can apply for subsidised CGM/Flash through the NDSS. Some groups get it fully subsidised — for example children and young people under 21, and women with type 1 diabetes who are planning pregnancy, pregnant or just after — while others pay a co-payment. Some under-21s with rare insulin-requiring conditions similar to type 1 diabetes are also eligible. (NDSS-subsidised CGM is for type 1 diabetes, not type 2.) An authorised diabetes health professional certifies your access. CGM access details.
Not the NDSS: insulin and other diabetes medicines are subsidised under the PBS, not the NDSS. You do not need a prescription to collect NDSS products.
What it costs
Registering is free. You then pay a subsidised price for products when you collect them from an NDSS access point (usually a community pharmacy). Prices are well below the full retail cost. There is no Medicare claim to make — the subsidy is built into the price you pay at the access point.
How to register
Your GP or a credentialled diabetes educator completes and signs the NDSS registration form with you — you cannot register yourself without one of them confirming your diagnosis. It is free and once-only. After that you collect subsidised products from any NDSS access point. If you move or change pharmacy, your registration stays with you.
Visitors to Australia from a country with a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement may be eligible in some circumstances. The NDSS Helpline (1800 637 700) and ndss.com.au can confirm.
This page explains how a government scheme works. It is general information, not medical advice, and it does not replace your GP or diabetes team. Always confirm your eligibility and what products are right for you with them or the NDSS Helpline.