✦ Plain-English Summary

National Health Amendment (Pharmaceutical Benefits) 2019

What it does

This bill introduces application fees that pharmacists must pay when they apply to supply pharmaceutical benefits (PBS medicines) to patients. It also handles what happens to PBS medicine supplies if a pharmacy goes into bankruptcy or external administration.

Why it matters

Right now there's no cost for pharmacists to apply for PBS accreditation, so this change means pharmacies will need to budget for application fees as part of their setup or renewal processes. The bankruptcy provisions ensure patients can still get their medications even if their pharmacy runs into financial trouble.

Key details

• Application fees: Pharmacists applying to supply PBS medicines (either initially or as a separate application) must now pay a fee set by the Minister via legislative instrument. Different fee amounts can be set for different types of applications.
• When it starts: The fee requirement kicks in two months after the bill gets Royal Assent.
• Bankruptcy rules: The bill also sets out rules for transferring PBS medicine supply arrangements if a pharmacy enters bankruptcy or external administration—this provision comes into effect on a date to be announced, but no later than six months after Royal Assent.

Official Description

Amends the National Health Act 1953 to: introduce a fee for applications by pharmacists for approval to supply Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme medicines at particular premises; and enable pharmaceutical benefits to continue temporarily to be supplied following bankruptcy or where there is an external administrator in relation to the pharmacy.

No formal division recorded

This bill passed by voice vote — parliament agreed without calling a formal count. A division is only recorded when a member explicitly requests one.

No votes yet.

No votes were recorded for this bill.