How 60-Day Prescriptions Work
For many medications used to treat stable, ongoing conditions, your doctor can write a prescription for 60 days instead of 30. You pay the same co-payment ($25 general / $7.70 concession) but get twice the supply. This effectively halves your annual medicine costs for those medications.
Annual Savings
| Patient Type | 30-Day Scripts (12/year) | 60-Day Scripts (6/year) | Annual Saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| General (Medicare card) | $300/year | $150/year | $150 per medication |
| Concession card | $92.40/year | $46.20/year | $46.20 per medication |
If you take 3 medications, that's $450/year saved on a Medicare card, or $138.60 on a concession card.
Which Medications Are Eligible
60-day prescriptions are available for a growing list of PBS medications used for stable, ongoing conditions. Common examples include blood pressure medications, cholesterol-lowering statins, diabetes medications, thyroid medications, and the contraceptive pill. Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you if your medication is eligible.
How to Get a 60-Day Script
Ask your doctor at your next appointment. They'll assess whether your condition is stable and whether a 60-day supply is appropriate. Not all medications are eligible, and your doctor needs to be satisfied that you don't need to be reviewed more frequently than every 60 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get any medication on a 60-day script?
No. Only specific PBS medications for stable, ongoing conditions are eligible. Your doctor or pharmacist can confirm whether your medication qualifies.
Do I need to ask my doctor?
Yes. Your doctor decides whether a 60-day script is appropriate for your situation. They need to be satisfied your condition is stable.
Does this affect the PBS Safety Net?
You'll reach the Safety Net threshold later in the year because you're filling fewer scripts. This could mean you pay more before getting Safety Net prices — but overall you still save money.