What is PBS Co-payment?

• A. The out of pocket price you pay for PBS medicines not covered by the government
• B. The annual membership fee for PBS access
• C. The maximum price the government pays for medicines
• D. An extra discount on all medicines

Answer: (C)

PBS co-payment is the amount you contribute toward a PBS medicine at the pharmacy after the government subsidy is applied. The government covers the rest to reach the PBS price, with different rates for general and concessional holders. There’s also a PBS Safety Net, which can reduce or eliminate your co-payment once you’ve reached a yearly threshold. So the co-payment is your out-of-pocket portion per prescription, not an annual membership, a blanket extra discount, or the total maximum the government pays.