How to reach the threshold sooner as a family

If you combine your family’s PBS amounts, you may reach the threshold sooner.

You can reach the threshold sooner by combining what everyone in your family spends on PBS medicines.

A family is any of the following:

  • a couple married and not separated
  • a couple in a de facto relationship with or without dependent children
  • a single person with dependent children.

A dependent child is someone who is all of the following:

  • they are younger than 16 or a full time student younger than 25
  • they attend school, college or university
  • they get substantial financial support.

To combine your family’s PBS amounts, complete the PBS/RPBS Safety Net prescription record form and application for a Safety Net card form. Each time you collect PBS medicine, hand both pages of the form to the pharmacist. The pharmacist will then record what you and your family spend on PBS medicine.

Page last updated: 3 March 2022.
QC 51179