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News and Updates

Keep up-to-date with the latest information relevant to the 7th Community Pharmacy Agreement

Grace period for CTG PBS Co-payment Program extended until 31 January 2022

23 September 2021

 

The Department of Health has extended the grace period for the Closing the Gap (CTG) Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) Co-payment Program until 31 January 2022.

 

Further information on this important update can be found here.

Grace period implemented for CTG PBS Co-payment Program until 30 September 2021

12 July 2021

 

Since the changes to the CTG PBS Co-payment Program were introduced on 1 July 2021, it has emerged that some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were previously receiving benefits via the Program are not actually registered for the Program through Services Australia.

 

The Commonwealth Department of Health, together with Services Australia, has implemented a grace period from 12 July 2021 to 30 September 2021. The grace period will prevent CTG annotated prescriptions from being rejected at the time of dispensing if the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person is not formally registered in the new centralised database.

 

During the grace period, if a CTG annotated prescription is presented by an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person and they are not correctly registered, the pharmacist will receive a warning message through their dispensing system, however, the CTG prescription will still be able to be dispensed.

 

In this situation the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person will need to be registered correctly for the Program by any PBS prescriber or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioner registered with Medicare as a provider by 30 September 2021.

 

Please note:

  • PBS prescribers or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners can confirm if Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are registered for the Program via HPOS prior to issuing a PBS prescription to be covered under the Program. If they are not, the system will indicate that the person is “inactive”.
  • From 1 October 2021, if Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons are not correctly registered for the Program, their PBS prescriptions will not have the relevant reduced PBS
    co-payment applied when being dispensed.
  • Services Australia has established e-learning modules to help prescribers to

 

Additional resources:

The Department of Health has also released communication materials outlining details of reforms to the Closing the Gap (CTG) Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) Co‑payment Program.

 

Four separate fact sheets have been published targeted at the following stakeholder groups:

 

There is also a general Frequently Asked Questions document that covers all of the above stakeholder groups.

 

More information on the CTG PBS Co-payment Program, including patient eligibility, registering for the program and further resources and information can be found here

Changes to rural classification for Rural Support Programs from today

1 July 2021

 

The Rural Support Programs have transitioned from the Pharmacy Access/Remoteness Index of Australia (PhARIA) to Modified Monash Model (MMM) rural classification system.

 

A full summary of the programs that have undergone this transition and further information on the MMM rural classification system can be found here.

New Indigenous Dose Administration Aids Program commences today

1 July 2021

 

The new Indigenous Dose Administration Aids (IDAA) Program commences today. Designed to assist patients in the community who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander to better manage their medicines.

 

More information on the IDAA Program, including the Program Rules and frequently asked questions, can be found here.

New Indigenous Health Services Pharmacy Support Services Program starts today

1 July 2021

 

The new Indigenous Health Services Pharmacy Support (IHSPS) Program commences today. Replacing the previous QUMAX and S100 Pharmacy Support Allowance Programs, the IHSPS Program is designed to support quality use of medicines services and aims to reduce adverse events and associated hospital admissions or medical presentations.

 

More information on the IHSPS Program, including the Program Rules and frequently asked questions, can be found here.

Reforms to the Closing the Gap (CTG) PBS Co-payment Program commence today

1 July 2021

 

Reforms to the Closing The Gap (CTG) Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) Co-payment Program commence today.

 

More information on the CTG PBS Co-payment Program, including patient eligibility, registering for the program and further resources and information can be found here

Fact sheets on CTG PBS Co-payment reforms released

8 June 2021

 

The Commonwealth Department of Health has released communication materials outlining details of reforms to the Closing the Gap (CTG) Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) Co‑payment Program. These new arrangements will commence on 1 July 2021.

 

Four separate fact sheets have been published targeted at the following stakeholder groups:

 

There is also a general Frequently Asked Questions document that covers all of the above stakeholder groups.

Second Pharmacy Stakeholder Consultation Committee meeting held

1 April 2021

 

The first meeting of the Pharmacy Stakeholder Consultation Committee was held on Friday 1 April 2021. Participants from the Department of Health, PSA and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia were joined by representatives from the Consumer Health Forum and NACCHO.

 

A communique with key discussions/outcomes from this meeting will be published in due course and will be available through PSA’s dedicated 7CPA web page.

Communique detailing key discussions and outcomes of the PSCC committee

1 March 2021

 

The Commonwealth Department of Health has published a communique from the first meeting of the Pharmacy Stakeholder Consultation Committee, which was held on Friday 30 October 2020. Participants from the Department of Health, PSA and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia were joined by representatives from the Consumer Health Forum and NACCHO.

 

Access the communique here.

First Pharmacy Stakeholder Consultation Committee meeting held

30 October 2020

 

The first meeting of the Pharmacy Stakeholder Consultation Committee was held on Friday 30 October 2020. Participants from the Department of Health, PSA and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia were joined by representatives from the Consumer Health Forum and NACCHO.

 

A communique with key discussions/outcomes from this meeting will be published in due course and will be available through PSA’s dedicated 7CPA web page.

Medical Research Future Fund

25 September 2020

 

The Australian Government has today announced a $25 million investment through the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) for research to improve the safe use of medicines and pharmacist-led medicines interventions. More information on the grant opportunity is available here.

Lift on base cap for Dose Administration Aids program

25 September 2020

 

The Australian Government has today announced that the base cap for the Dose Administration Aids program will increase from 30 to 60 services per week, per pharmacy. This change will come into effect from 1 January 2021.

Boost to Rural Pharmacy Maintenance Allowance

25 September 2020

 

The Australian Government has today confirmed it will be boosting its investment in the Rural Pharmacy Maintenance Allowance to ensure people living in regional, rural and remote Australia have access to medicines and pharmacy services. This change will come into effect from 1 January 2021.