Doctors & Prescriptions Costs

Costs for Doctors & Prescriptions in Australia

Doctors and Prescriptions Costs seem to increase every year in Australia. Prescription costs generally rise every January, and the doctors charges can vary between different doctors practices. Some abiding by the government recommended figures and others charging more.

Prescription Costs in Australia

A standard Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) prescription cost from 1st Jan 2022 is $42.50 for general patients. ** see below

Those with concession cards pay only $5.80 or $6.80 per prescription, depending on the Pharmacy.

** This should be the Maximum figure you pay for a standard PBS prescription.

Sometimes the figure will be lower, depending on the actual item.
Some prescriptions will be for Brand names, and these may be higher than the normal PBS rate. The chemist normally asks if you are happy with a Generic Brand, which is the normal PBS costed one.
There are also some prescriptions that are not covered under the PBS scheme, and are therefore not subsidised at all, meaning that these can be quite expensive.

A guide to actual prices can be found at: www.pbs.gov.au

The prescription costs are normally adjusted on 1 January each year in line with inflation.

For those people who use a lot of prescriptions, there are safety nets available to keep the costs down.

More details at Pharmaceutical Benefits and Medicare Safety Nets

Doctors Costs in Australia

Doctors fees can vary in Australia, and I can only give a couple of examples.

Medical Category Advert

My own local Doctors practice (GP) quoted a base consultation fee in 2019 of $60.
Some Doctors, especially in more affluent areas will charge more than this. Such as this example in May 2022.

$90 Standard Consultation (Medicare rebate is $39.10, leaving a net cost of $50.90)
$150 Long Consultation (Medicare rebate is $75.75, leaving a net cost of $74.25)

However, for Citizens, Residents and those with Reciprocal Health Cover, this is where Medicare kicks in with some options, depending on how your doctor operates his income system.

Bulk Billing Doctors: You don’t pay anything, as Medicare pays the Doctor directly, at a previously agreed rate, normally less than the doctors normal fee.
Non Bulk Billing Doctors: You pay the doctors fee, and then claim some back from Medicare.

More details at: Bulk Billing Doctors and Fees in Australia

Specialist Doctors are more expensive than normal GP’s, and your net costs after the Medicare rebates are therefore much higher.

Some prescriptions are not on the PBS system, and you pay the Full price. One of these in 2022, cost me $9.20. On rare occasions some can cost many thousands.

History of Australian Prescription Fees 2001-2022.

2022 To be confirmed Mid 2022
2022 Concession card Holders paid $6.80. Normal price was $42.50 (effective 1 Jan 2022)
2021 Concession card Holders paid $6.60. Normal price was $41.30
2020 Concession card Holders paid $6.60. Normal price was $41.00
2019 Concession card Holders paid $6.50. Normal price was $40.30
2018 Concession card Holders paid $6.40. Normal price was $39.50
2017 Concession card Holders paid $6.30. Normal price was $38.80
2016 Concession card Holders paid $6.20. Normal price was $38.30
2015 Concession card Holders paid $6.10. Normal price was $37.70
2014 Concession card Holders paid $6.00. Normal price was $36.90
2013 Concession card Holders paid $5.90. Normal price was $36.10
2012 Concession card Holders paid $5.80. Normal price was $35.40
2011 Concession card Holders paid $5.60. Normal price was $34.20
2010 Concession card Holders paid $5.40. Normal price was $33.30
2009 Concession card Holders paid $5.30. Normal price was $32.90
2008 Concession card Holders paid $5.00. Normal price was $31.30
2007 Concession card Holders paid $4.90. Normal price was $30.70
2006 Concession card Holders paid $4.70. Normal price was $29.50
2005 Concession card Holders paid $4.60. Normal price was $28.60
2004 Concession card Holders paid $3.80. Normal price was $23.70
2003 Concession card Holders paid $3.70. Normal price was $23.10
2002 Concession card Holders paid $3.60. Normal price was $22.40
2001 Concession card Holders paid $3.50. Normal price was $21.90