If I am from an RHCA country, do I get a medicine subsidy?

Yes. Passport holders from the 11 countries that have an RHCA (Reciprocal Health Care Agreement) with Australia (New Zealand, Ireland, United Kingdom, Sweden, Netherlands, Finland, Italy, Belgium, Norway, Slovenia, Malta) can receive 'medically necessary' treatment and some PBS medicines at the standard rate. Most need to enrol in Medicare with Services Australia, while visitors from New Zealand and Ireland can use public hospitals and PBS medicines without enrolling. Check the detailed eligibility on servicesaustralia.gov.au.

How much does medicine cost if I have neither Medicare nor RHCA?

The PBS subsidy does not apply, so you may have to pay the full actual cost (private price) of the medicine. Depending on the medicine, the difference can be large, from tens to hundreds of dollars. If you are on a tourist visa or some temporary visas, Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC) may cover part of the medicine cost, so check your policy, and for expensive medicines, ask each pharmacy about the price in advance.

What is the Safety Net?

It is a system where, once the PBS medicine costs paid by you and your family in a year exceed the threshold, your medicines become cheaper after that. As of 2026, once a general patient passes $1,748.20 they receive medicines for the rest of the year at $7.70 (the concession rate), and once a concession card holder passes $277.20 they receive them free. If you use the same pharmacy consistently or ask the pharmacist for a Prescription Record Form, your medicine costs are recorded and combined.

Are there medicines I can buy without a prescription?

Yes. General medicines (OTC) such as painkillers, cold medicine, and antacids can be bought without a prescription at pharmacies and supermarkets (not eligible for a PBS subsidy, bought at the regular price). Some medicines are only sold after a consultation with a pharmacist. Prescription medicines such as antibiotics and blood pressure medication always require a doctor's prescription, and in that case, if you have PBS eligibility, the medicine cost is subsidised.

Prescriptions, Pharmacies & PBS Medicine Costs Guide | For Foreign Residents in Australia - Devonport

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Prescriptions, Pharmacies & PBS Medicine Costs

To get medicine in Australia you usually need a prescription (script), and the PBS (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) heavily subsidises the cost of medicine for eligible people. From how to get a prescription, to how medicine costs are structured, to how they differ depending on your Medicare or RHCA eligibility — here is everything at a glance.

This article is general information to help foreign residents and visitors in Australia understand prescriptions, pharmacies, and the PBS medicine cost system. It is not medical, legal, or immigration advice.

PBS medicine costs (as of 1 January 2026, general $25, concession $7.70), Safety Net thresholds, and the countries and scope covered by the RHCA can change every year, so always re-check the actual amounts and eligibility on the official sites (pbs.gov.au, servicesaustralia.gov.au).

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Prescriptions, Pharmacies & PBS Medicine Costs

Prescriptions, Pharmacies & PBS Medicine Costs

1. How do I get a prescription (script)?

2. How much does the PBS reduce my medicine cost?

3. Do RHCA (Reciprocal Health Care Agreement) and Medicare eligibility change my medicine cost?

4. Safety Net — if your yearly medicine costs exceed a set amount, they get cheaper

5. eScript, repeats & 60-day prescriptions — fewer trips back to the pharmacy

How to use an eScript (electronic prescription)

Repeats (repeat dispensing)

60-day prescriptions

6. Even if English is difficult — speak with your pharmacist and doctor in your own language

TIS National free interpreting (131 450)

Check the medicine label and instructions

7. The difference from medicines you buy without a prescription (OTC)

8. Official source links

Helpful related guides

Frequently Asked Questions