Home > Our work > Primary health care > Services and projects > Pharmaceutical Subsidy Card

Pharmaceutical Subsidy Card

The Pharmaceutical Subsidy Card (PSC) allows the cardholder and named family members to pay a lower amount on government prescription charges.

The purpose of the card is to help people who face high prescription costs. There is no income testing for the PSC.

The PSC is also known as a Safety Net Card, Prescription Subsidy Card, Exemption Card or Discount Card.

What do I get from a PSC?

A family unit with a PSC will receive no further $3 prescription charges for the rest of the year starting from the date when the PSC is issued and until the following 31 January.

The card does not cover herbal remedies, supplements that are not classified as medicines, or medicines that you can buy over the counter (that is, without needing a prescription).

Who is entitled to a PSC?

Any member of a family unit, usually the primary caregiver, will hold the PSC.

A family unit can mean:

  • a married (or de facto) couple, with one or more dependent children or
  • a married (or de facto) couple, with no dependent children or
  • one person with or without children.

Where and how can I get a PSC?

As a service, your pharmacist will automatically keep a prescription count for you. If your partner or children have different names, you should make sure the pharmacist knows when a family member picks up a prescription. Your pharmacist will issue a PSC once a family unit has paid for 20 subsidised prescription items since 1 February of any year.

If you go to a different pharmacy from your usual pharmacy keep your receipts and show them to your usual chemist so they can add them to your PSC record.

If you don't have a usual pharmacy keep all your receipts for prescriptions for your family. When you get to 20 items, take them into a pharmacy and ask them for a card.

Does it cost me anything to get a PSC?

Pharmacies do not charge for this service.

What should I do with the card?

Keep it in a safe place. If you always go to the same pharmacy, they should be keeping a record for you, so you might not need to take it with you when you get a prescription. If you visit a different pharmacy, take the card and present it with your prescription.

Government prescription charges are made up of several different parts and can be very complicated. If you have any questions about the charges you pay, please talk to your pharmacist.

Page last updated: 22 September 2011