What's new?

May 2013

The Healthcare Identifiers Service Licensed Materials for the May 2013 release are now available.

January 2013

New eligibility requirements for the PIP eHealth Incentive start 1 February.

The Department of Human Services’ Compliance Program 2012—13 is now available.

The 2013 Medicare Teen Dental Plan voucher is valued up to $166.15

The Medicare Safety Net threshold figures for 2013 are now available.

PBS forms

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) makes sure all Australian residents have access to necessary and life-saving medicines at an affordable price. Most medicines available on prescription are subsidised under the PBS.

Medicare administers the PBS, which includes processing claims and paying benefits for the PBS and Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (RPBS).

The Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits

The Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits (the Schedule) lists the medicines available under the PBS. The Schedule is published online at the PBS WebsiteExternal link and is updated monthly to include new listings and the latest changes. The Schedule may be downloaded or printed from this website. A printed copy or CD Rom version of the Schedule may be purchased from the print on demand vendor. More details are available on the PBS Health ProfessionalExternal link page.

PBS entitlement checking

PBS stationery order forms

If you know which PBS stationery form you have to complete please download these forms from the table below 'Important Information'.

If you don't know what PBS stationery you're entitled to or how to order the stationery, see the PBS stationery entitlements tables.

If you can't access the internet to download the stationery order forms call 132 290.

Important Information

  • Prescription pad orders can only be despatched to a prescriber's registered practice location.
  • Depending on the type of stationery you order, there may be restrictions on personalising your forms. We will contact you if there are any anomalies.
  • When you fill out the order form, please write clearly in block letters. If we can't read your form it will be returned to you for clarification.
  • Please allow up to 28 days for your order to be despatched and additional time for delivery.

To order personalised stationery use the forms below.

Health professional Form
Doctors 4018 - Order for PBS/RPBS standard prescription books (personalised) [PDF, 115Kb]PDF reader required
4019 - Order for PBS/RPBS computer prescription forms [PDF, 62Kb]PDF reader required
4020 - Order for PBS/RPBS authority prescription books (personalised) [PDF, 116Kb]PDF reader required
4053 - Botulinum toxin Request for reimbursement and authorisation [PDF, 111Kb]PDF reader required
Dentists 4051 - Order for PBS/RPBS dental prescription books [PDF, 63Kb]PDF reader required
Optometrists 4201 - Order for PBS/RPBS optometrist prescription books [PDF, 64Kb]PDF reader required
Nurse practitioners and midwives 4233 - Order for PBS/RPBS computer prescription forms (Nurse Practitioner / Midwife) [PDF, 69Kb]PDF reader required
4234 - Order for PBS/RPBS authority prescription books (Nurse Practitioner / Midwife) [PDF, 45Kb]PDF reader required
4235 - Order for PBS/RPBS standard prescription books (Nurse Practitioner / Midwife) [PDF, 45Kb]PDF reader required

For more information call 132 290.

Note: the PBS stationery supplier changed on 1 September 2012. This may affect the way you order. Find out more on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) page.

Medicine Export Declaration form

The Medicine Export Declaration form must be included when sending medicines overseas.

PBS forms - for approved suppliers

The following forms are available for approved pharmacists, medical practitioners or a hospital authority, or those seeking approval.

Health professional Form Form use
Pharmacists, medical practitioners and hospital authorities 4167 - Online Claiming for Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme - Application and Terms and Conditions

Complete this form for each premise and agree to the terms and conditions to register for Online Claiming for Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
This form may be used by applicants approved or seeking approval as a:

  • pharmacist
  • medical practitioner, or
  • hospital authority.
Approved pharmacists 8013 - Applying for approval to supply Pharmaceutical Benefits at a Particular Premises

Complete this form if you are applying for approval to supply pharmaceutical benefits at a particular premises under Section 90 of the National Health Act 1953 in any of the following circumstances:

  • expanding or contracting approved pharmacy premises
  • relocating an approved pharmacy
  • relocating an approved pharmacy (with a change of ownership), or
  • establishing a new pharmacy.
 4042 - Authority for authorised pharmacist(s) to sign claim forms on behalf of Approved Pharmacist(s)

Complete this form if you are an approved pharmacist(s) and business owner(s) of a pharmacy approved under Section 90 of the National Health Act 1953.
Use this form to:

  • authorise a pharmacist(s) to sign pharmaceutical benefit claim forms and endorse pharmaceutical benefit prescriptions on behalf of the approved pharmacist(s), or
  • request removal of previously authorised pharmacist(s).
 4113 - Authority for authorised pharmacist(s) to sign claim forms on behalf of s91 permission holder As permission holder under Section 91 of the National Health Act 1953, you must complete this form to authorise a pharmacist to sign pharmaceutical benefit claim forms and endorse pharmaceutical benefit prescriptions on your behalf. 
 4183 - Applying for Approval - Change of Ownership of a Pharmacy (not involving relocation) Complete this form if you are applying for approval to change ownership of a pharmacy (not involving relocation) at a particular premise under Section 90 of the National Health Act 1953.  
If you are applying to relocate the pharmacy as well as change ownership, please use Applying for Approval to Supply Pharmaceutical Benefits at a Particular Premise form (8013). 
 4602 - Notification of bank account details for an approved community pharmacy Complete this form if you are registering bank account details for an approved community pharmacy for payments made through Medicare Australia’s Online Claiming for PBS, and to notify Medicare of any change to your pharmacy bank account details. 
Hospital authorities 4035 - Application for a hospital authority to supply pharmaceutical benefits and/or highly specialised drugs

Use this form if you are a hospital authority requesting approval under section 94 or section 100 of the National Health Act 1953 to:

  • supply pharmaceutical benefits, chemotherapy pharmaceutical benefits and highly specialised drugs in respect of a private hospital
  • supply pharmaceutical benefits, chemotherapy pharmaceutical benefits and highly specialised drugs in respect of a public hospital participating in the Pharmaceutical Reforms
  • supply highly specialised drugs and trastuzumab in respect of a public hospital not participating in the Pharmaceutical Reforms, or
  • to claim for the supply of highly specialised drugs and trastuzumab in respect of a public hospital where the dispensing of those drugs is undertaken through an agent.
4236 - Notification of bank account details for a hospital authority

Use this form if you are a hospital authority approved under Section 94 or Section 100 of the National Health Act 1953 and you wish to:

  • register your bank account details for payments made through Medicare’s Online Claiming for Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), or
  • make changes to your existing bank account details.
 8944 - Authority for Authorised Person(s) to sign forms on behalf of a hospital authority

Use this form to:

  • authorise a person(s) to sign forms on behalf of a hospital authority seeking approval under Section 94 or 100 of the National Health Act 1953 to supply pharmaceutical benefits and/or highly specialised drugs
  • request removal of previously authorised pharmacist(s), or
  • authorise a pharmacist(s) to sign pharmaceutical benefit claim forms and endorse pharmaceutical benefit prescriptions on behalf of a hospital authority.

PBS Patient Refund Receipt

The official Medicare patient refund receipt that authorised pharmacists can issue for pharmaceutical benefit items supplied.

Obtaining Medicare numbers

To get Medicare or Department of Veterans' Affairs card numbers for use in PBS or RPBS claims, call 132 290 (call charges apply). You will need the patient's consent.

Medicare can release a maximum of five numbers and expiry dates per call. For more than five numbers, Medicare has established a fax back service to pharmacists. The Medicare number release form may be used to get the patient's Medicare (or Veterans') card number/s and expiry dates.

The Seemingly Valid Medicare Card form may be used when:

  • the pharmacist has made a claim for payment for a pharmaceutical benefit for a patient, based on a Medicare number that appeared to be valid at the time of the initial claim. However, during processing by Medicare it was found that the Medicare details are invalid, and a 90-day warning was returned to the pharmacist; AND
  • the patient has presented another prescription and cannot provide any alternate Medicare details and the pharmacist is satisfied that the original details provided by the patient are correct.

Note: the pharmacist must have no reason to believe that the patient is not entitled to receive pharmaceutical benefits.

If the above criteria is satisfied, the pharmacist should use the 'Seemingly valid Medicare card' special number, complete and attach the form to the prescription for submission for payment with their next claim to Medicare. Alternatively, pharmacists can choose to photocopy or photograph the Medicare card. The pharmacist is then required to use the same special number, and attach the photocopy or photograph to the prescription for submission for payment in their next claim to Medicare.

Remote Aboriginal Health Services

Special arrangements exist for approved remote area Aboriginal Health Services (AHS) to supply PBS medicines to patients. Find out more about the arrangements.

Some documents on this page may require the free Adobe PDF reader.

Last updated: 6 June, 2013