Save on the cost of medicines

Here are some ways you could be saving more on your medications:

1. Ask for the generic version.

A generic medicine will cost you less than the well-known brand equivalent and will have the same effect as they contain the same active ingredient and dose. Branded items often have additional charges added to them. Check with your pharmacist if a generic is available for your medication.

2. Are you getting the PBS co-payment discount?

The Government allows a $1.00 co-payment discount to be applied to each PBS medicine when dispensed but it is not mandatory for pharmacies to do this. Ask if your pharmacy applies this discount to your medication.

3. Take the time to shop around.

For your under co-payment PBS medicines, compare pricing online or call a few pharmacies before heading into store to find a more competitive price. Then ask your pharmacist if they will price match to that lower price.

4. Multiple medications? Register for the PBS Safety Net.

If you take many and multiple medications frequently, the PBS safety net could help you pay less for medicines after you’ve reached a certain limit in a calendar year. Once you hit the limit, you pay less for the remainder of the year. Check with your doctor or pharmacist to see if you or your family are eligible.

5. Talk to your doctor about your current medicines.

Check with your doctor whether you need to take all the medicines that you are currently on or if there is an alternative that might be more affordable. In addition, you might be eligible for 60 days of supply for some of your medicines. A talk about your medicines with your doctor makes good sense both from a health and hip pocket perspective.

6. Review your medications with your pharmacist.

Have a medication review with your pharmacist as they can check medicine prices, if there are different substitutable brands that could be cheaper (if applicable) or to see if changes can be recommended to your doctor.

7. Ask for the best price at the pharmacy.

Enquire with your pharmacy if they can provide a better price, including on private scripts and PBS medicines that fall under the PBS co-payment. It may not be possible, however you don’t know if you don’t ask.

8. Use a concession card.

If you have a concession card, check with your doctor or pharmacist to see if your concession card can reduce the amount you pay (in co-payments) towards your medicine costs.

9. Claim on prescriptions with Health Partners at participating providers.

Call us on 1300 113 113 to see if your medicine is eligible under our pharmacy limit and ensure you have the appropriate cover and limits to access benefits.

10. Visit a participating Health Partners pharmacy to save 20%* on the full price of most over the counter medicines.

Health Partners Extras members save 20% on the full price of most non-prescription medicines in areas such as pain relief, allergies, cold and flu preparations, stomach medicines, vitamins and first aid creams that can help members reduce their family medicine expenses.

Benefits of Extras with Health Partners

As a Health Partners Extras member, you save on scripts^ and get 20%^* off the full price of most non-prescription pharmacy products at our participating pharmacies in South Australia. This means you save on the good stuff like cosmetics, vitamins and hair care.

Prescriptions

PBS Medicines

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) makes a range of prescription medicines more affordable to Australian residents due to the Government subsidising the cost. These medicines also require a PBS co-payment to be paid towards each item by the patient. Medicines that fall under the co-payment maybe eligible for claiming with Health Partners. Conditions apply^.

If you are on eligible extras cover, all you have to do is pay up to $20 per non-government subsidised prescription, we will cover any gap over $20 to the PBS General Co-payment, up to your cover’s limit.

Private & Compounding Medicines

Private medicines are medicines that the Government does not include on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). These medicines are not subsidised and can be quite expensive. Health Partners can help with lifestyle and tailored compounded medicines, IVF drugs, and non-government subsidised vaccinations, with some exclusions, which can be found at https://www.healthpartners.com.au/pharmacy-benefits.

If you are on eligible extras cover, we will pay a maximum benefit of $50 per prescription^. This benefit will only apply after your co-payment of $40. Additional Member Contributions amounts may apply if the private prescription price is above the combined Member co-payment and maximum benefit.

20% Pharmacy Discount

Members can enjoy 20% discount on the full price of most non-prescription pharmacy products*, only available at Health Partners Participating Pharmacies. This means that members can save every day on the good stuff like cosmetics, vitamins, hair care and skincare. Save on:

• Vitamins & supplements
• Pain relief and minor ailment products
• Perfume and beauty products (excluding franchise brands (i.e. Chanel)
• Skincare & hair care
• Sports medicine and wound care items

Terms and Conditions

^PBS prescriptions that are not already subsidised by the Government and Private and compounding prescriptions. No benefits apply to Government subsidised scripts. Speak to your pharmacist to understand if your script is subsidised. Including vaccinations, hormone implants, allergen implants and IVF-associated drugs.

*20% Discount applies on the pharmacies full item price of most non-prescription products on presentation of Health Partners membership card for members with extras products, but excludes agency items (i.e. X-Lotto), selected franchise brands (i.e. Chanel) and schedule 3 recordable medicines. Pharmacies may choose, at their discretion, to apply the discount to items already discounted. A pharmacy is not required to honour their loyalty club program discount & the Health Partners discount in the same transaction. Unlimited use. Conditions are in accordance with agreements held with our preferred pharmacies, which may change from time to time.

References

^#Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2022, Medicines in the health system. Retrieved from https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/medicines/medicines-in-the-health-system

Department of Health and Aged Care, 2022, Cost of Medicines. Retrieved from https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/medicines/cost

NPS Medicinewise, 2022, Keeping your medicine costs down. Retrieved from https://www.nps.org.au/consumers/keeping-your-medicines-costs-down#making-prescription-medicines-affordable

Services Australia, 2021, When you spend a lot on PBS medicines. Retrieved from https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/when-you-spend-lot-pbs-medicines?context=22016

The Conversation, 2022, Last year, half a million Australians couldn’t afford to fill a script. Here’s how to rein in rising health costs. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/last-year-half-a-million-australians-couldnt-afford-to-fill-a-script-heres-how-to-rein-in-rising-health-costs-178301

Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021, Patient Experiences in Australia: Summary of Findings. Retrieved from https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-services/patient-experiences-australia-summary-findings/latest-release

Department of Health and Aged Care, 2022, About the PBS. Retrieved from https://www.pbs.gov.au/info/about-the-pbs