General information about dispensing remuneration and pricing changes

Dispensing Remuneration

The Seventh Community Pharmacy Agreement (7CPA) details the remuneration arrangements pharmacists receive for dispensing PBS and RPBS prescriptions agreed between the Australian Government and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia.

Indexation for various components of pharmacy remuneration typically occur in January and July each year, and otherwise as agreed between the Government and the Guild.

Members can access the current fact sheet for a summary of PBS co-payments and fees.

Pricing Changes and PBS Schedule Variations

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PBS prices change on a regular basis, based on variations to the underlying medicine costs and the remuneration structure for distribution. From a pharmacy owner perspective, it is important to monitor and plan for any price reductions and to order carefully as the time for price reductions approach so as to incorporate prospective changes as well as managing the ongoing dispensing needs of your patients.

Some of the most significant price changes to monitor are:

• The reductions in price from Simplified Price Disclosure every six months in April and October of each year.
• The F1 statutory price reductions every April as per the Government's agreement with Medicines Australia

There may also be monthly variations to the PBS with:

• New items and brands
• Deleted items and brands
• Alteration of brand names
• Alteration of drug sponsor

The Guild provides this information to members ahead of time to assist with their business planning. Members should also follow the Guild on social media to be aware of any late or urgent notifications.

Members can access the monthly 'Summary of Changes' and information about PBS Price Changes and Schedule Variations from the PBS website.