The Department of Health and Aged Care has reviewed and remade the following instruments: the National Health (Listings of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Instrument 2012, the National Health (Prescriber bag supplies) Determination 2012, and the National Health (Efficient Funding of Chemotherapy) Special Arrangement 2011. As a result of the review, the National Health (Pharmaceutical Benefits) Regulations 2017 have also been amended. For further information regarding the legislation changes go to www.legislation.gov.au.
There will be changes to the PBS Authority Required applications sent to Services Australia by mail, to reflect the changes made to legistlation that came into effect from 1 April 2024.
Services Australia will no longer require the original prescription to assess your request, only the details of the proposed PBS prescription. Services Australia won’t record the Authority Approval Number on the prescription or forward approved prescriptions to the patient.
There’ll be a transition period for prescriptions written from 1 April 2024 to 30 June 2024. You can continue to submit the original prescription by mail or send a copy of the proposed prescription.
Click here for important information about the changes to PBS authorities from 1 April 2024.