PBS Safety Net Threshold 2026: When Do Your Prescriptions Become Free?

Updated April 2026 · General information only

If your household fills a lot of prescriptions each year, there's a point where you pay dramatically less — or nothing at all. The PBS Safety Net caps your annual out-of-pocket spending on PBS medicines — once you hit the threshold, every script for the rest of the calendar year drops to $7.70 (general patients) or becomes completely free (concessional patients).

Many Australians don't track their Safety Net progress and miss out on months of cheaper or free prescriptions simply because they didn't realise they'd reached the threshold.

TL;DR

• The PBS Safety Net is a government threshold that caps how much you spend on PBS prescriptions each calendar year.

• General patients hit the threshold at $1,748.20/year; concessional patients at $277.20/year. After that, general patients pay just $7.70/script and concessional patients pay nothing.

• You may be eligible to register your family members on the same card so everyone's co-payments count together — reaching the threshold faster.

What Is the PBS Safety Net?

The
subsidises prescription medicines for all Australians with a Medicare card. You pay a fixed co-payment per script, and the government covers the rest.

The PBS Safety Net adds a second layer of protection: once your total co-payments for the calendar year (1 January – 31 December) reach the threshold, you receive a Safety Net card. From that point until 31 December, general patients pay just $7.70 per script (the concessional rate), and concessional patients pay nothing.

This is particularly valuable for families with multiple prescriptions — especially those managing chronic conditions like diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol, asthma, or mental health conditions.

The Safety Net resets every 1 January, so tracking starts fresh each calendar year.

Who Is Eligible?

Everyone with a Medicare card is automatically part of the PBS Safety Net system. There's no separate application. The two categories are:

Source:
, effective 1 January 2026. General co-payment reduced from $31.60 to $25.00 via the Cheaper Medicines Act 2025. Concessional rate frozen at $7.70 for 2025–2029.

If you hold a
, you automatically qualify for concessional PBS rates — paying $7.70 per script instead of $25.00.

How the Threshold Works

What Counts Towards Your Threshold

How Many Scripts to Reach the Threshold?

For a general patient taking 3 regular medications per month (36 scripts/year at $25.00 = $900.00), you wouldn't reach the threshold alone. But if you register family members on the same card, their scripts count too.

Example: A couple where both partners take 3 regular medications each — that's 6 scripts/month × 12 = 72 scripts × $25.00 = $1,800.00. That crosses the $1,748.20 threshold around November, giving you $7.70 scripts for the last 1-2 months of the year.

How to Track Your Progress

Option 1: Medicare Online (myGov)

1. Log in to
and go to your Medicare account

2. Select PBS Safety Net from the menu

3. View your year-to-date total and how close you are to the threshold

This is the most reliable way to track, as it automatically captures scripts from all linked pharmacies.

Option 2: Ask Your Pharmacist

Your regular pharmacist can look up your PBS Safety Net balance. If you use the same pharmacy for most scripts, they'll often flag when you're getting close.

Option 3: PBS Safety Net Card (Physical)

Once you reach the threshold, Services Australia issues a PBS Safety Net Concession card (for general patients) or confirms your entitlement (for concessional patients). Present this card at the pharmacy for reduced or free scripts.

You can also request an interim card through Medicare if your records show you've reached the threshold but the card hasn't arrived yet.

Registering Your Family

This is one of the most important — and most overlooked — steps. By registering family members on the same PBS Safety Net card, everyone's co-payments pool together, helping you reach the threshold sooner.

Who Can Be on the Same Card?

• Your spouse or partner

• Dependent children (under 16, or under 25 if studying full-time)

• Any family member living at the same address who is part of your Medicare card or a linked card

How to Register

1. Visit
or call 132 011

2. Request to register your family for PBS Safety Net

3. Provide Medicare card details for all family members

4. You can also do this through your
Medicare account

Once registered, scripts filled by any family member at any pharmacy are counted towards the same threshold — as long as the pharmacist has the Medicare card details on file.

Tips to Reach the Threshold Sooner

1. Always Present Your Medicare Card

Every time you fill a script, make sure the pharmacist records it against your Medicare number. Scripts filled without your Medicare details on file won't count towards your Safety Net total. This is especially important when visiting a new pharmacy or filling an urgent script at an unfamiliar location.

2. Choose Generic Where Possible

Brand premiums don't count towards your Safety Net. If you're paying an extra $5-15 per script for a brand-name medicine when a
is available, that extra amount is wasted from a Safety Net perspective. Switching to generic means your full co-payment counts, and you save money immediately.

For more on generic vs brand-name medicines, see our
.

3. Register All Family Members

As outlined above — pooling co-payments across the family is the single most effective way to reach the threshold sooner. A family of four where each person fills even a few scripts per year can easily cross the threshold months earlier than tracking individually.

60-Day Dispensing and the Safety Net

Since
became available for many PBS medicines, you may be getting fewer scripts per year (one script covering 60 days instead of 30). This means:

• Fewer co-payments — you pay half as many times per year for eligible medicines

• Slower progress to the Safety Net — with fewer co-payments, it takes longer to reach the threshold

• But lower total annual cost — even without reaching the Safety Net, you're spending less overall

For a general patient on 3 eligible medications: under 30-day dispensing, that's 36 scripts/year × $25.00 = $900.00. Under 60-day dispensing, it's 18 scripts/year × $25.00 = $450.00 — a saving of $450.00/year, even though you're further from the Safety Net threshold.

PBS Safety Net and Other Benefits

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the PBS Safety Net threshold for 2026?

General patients: $1,748.20/year. Concessional patients: $277.20/year. After reaching the threshold, general patients pay $7.70/script and concessional patients pay nothing for the rest of the calendar year.

How do I check my balance?

Log in to your Medicare account through
, ask your pharmacist, or call Services Australia on 132 011.

Can I combine my family's scripts?

Yes — register family members on the same PBS Safety Net card through Services Australia or myGov. Everyone's co-payments then count towards one threshold.

Does it reset every year?

Yes, on 1 January. Previous year co-payments don't carry over.

Do brand premiums count?

No. Only the standard co-payment ($25.00 or $7.70) counts. The extra you pay for brand-name over generic does not count towards the threshold.

Explore government benefits you may be eligible for at
.

For a step-by-step tracking walkthrough, see our PBS Safety Net tracker guide.

This is general information only. Rates are current as of April 2026, subject to change. PBS co-payment rates and Safety Net thresholds are indexed on 1 January each year by the Australian Government. Always verify current rates with
or
. Sources:
,
,
.