The Australian Department of Health has extended the registration grace period for the Closing the Gap Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme Co-Payment Program.
When enhancements to the program were introduced in July 2021, it became evident that some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients had been incorrectly registered. Due to the error, they were receiving reduced co-payments for their PBS General Schedule medicines.
The registration grace period was initially from 12 July to 30 September 2021, but the Department of Health has now extended it until 31 January 2022.
This extension will provide additional time for patients to be formally registered through Services Australia by PBS prescribers and Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency-registered Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners.
Practitioners and PBS prescribers should review the registration status of any Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander patients. Patient registration status can be checked using Health Professional Online Services (HPOS).
If the patient is not formally registered with Services Australia, HPOS will indicate that the person is ‘inactive’. If this is the case, patients will need to be contacted by either a PBS prescriber or an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner.
This issue must be rectified before 31 January 2022 to ensure all eligible Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander patients who have previously received their PBS General Schedule medicines under the program can continue to do so.
Information on registering patients for the program can be found on the Department of Health website.
For PBS prescribers, information on using HPOS this can be found on the Services Australia website.