Will Your Family Reach the PBS Safety Net in 2026?
Enter your family's monthly scripts and see the projected month your co-payments drop — and what you'll pay after that.
2026 thresholds · Estimate only — your pharmacy record is official
Your family's details
Mixed situations (e.g. one concession card in the family) are complex — ask your pharmacist. Eligible couples and dependent children may combine PBS spending toward the same tally.
Estimated monthly co-payment total: $100.00
At this rate, your family will spend about $1,180 by 31 December — roughly $560.00 short of the $1,748.20 threshold. The Safety Net resets on 1 January.
PBS subsidies may already be reducing your family's medication costs. Actual savings depend on the medicines prescribed and their private prices.Note: if some of your medicines cost less than $25.00 per script, your actual tally will build more slowly than this estimate.
Your family's 2026 estimate
Your Family's Estimate Is Ready
At this rate, your family will spend about $1,180 by 31 December — roughly $560.00 short of the threshold. Keep scripts, repeats and reminders organised throughout the year.
Keep Tracking in MediRemind →30-day free trial · Up to 5 family profiles
Optional: Connect a participating pharmacyFamily Prescriptions
Mum
4 medications
Dad
5 medications
Child
2 medications
Estimate only · 2026 thresholds · Your pharmacy's dispensing record is the official tally
| This calculator | MediRemind |
|---|---|
| Gives a one-time estimate | Helps organise scripts throughout the year |
| Uses information entered today | Supports manual or participating-pharmacy updates |
| Does not replace official records | Keeps family profiles, repeats and reminders together |
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How the PBS Safety Net works for families
The PBS Safety Net is designed to protect families with high medication costs. Every PBS co-payment your family pays counts toward the threshold — once you cross it, the cost per script drops significantly for the rest of the calendar year.
Eligible couples and dependent children may combine their PBS co-payments toward a shared Safety Net threshold. A dependent child is generally under 16, or a financially supported full-time student under 25 attending school, college or university. This makes the threshold much easier to reach for families managing multiple chronic conditions.
Using one regular pharmacy may make tracking easier — they can keep a computer record of your family's tally and tell you when you are near the threshold. If you use multiple pharmacies, ask each pharmacy for a record of your PBS spending so you can combine the tallies yourself.
A PBS Safety Net card is available once your pharmacy confirms the official threshold has been reached — not merely when you are approaching it. With the card, you pay the reduced rate for the rest of the calendar year.
Any spend from the previous calendar year doesn't carry over. The clock starts fresh each January. This means late in the year — especially October to December — is when many families close to the threshold are working through their remaining scripts.
Thresholds are set annually. Figures shown are for the 2026 calendar year. Confirm current rates at pbs.gov.au.
One app for your whole family's prescriptions
Keep each person's eScripts, paper-script records, repeats, dispensing updates and medication reminders separate in one Australian app.
Separate family profiles
Organise medications for yourself, your partner, children or parents — up to 5 profiles.
Prescription and repeat tracking
Keep script details, remaining repeats and expiry information together in one place.
Participating pharmacy connection
Send a prescription to a selected pharmacy with your permission.
Offline access
Access saved eScript details on your device when you need them at the pharmacy.
Optional pharmacy connection
With your permission, MediRemind can:
- Send an eScript to a participating pharmacy
- Receive supported dispensing updates
- Help update repeats and estimated supply
- Help estimate PBS Safety Net progress
You can still use MediRemind manually with any Australian pharmacy.
30-day free trial · Up to 5 profiles
Australian owned · Built in Perth · Optional pharmacy connection · Nothing shared without permission
One app for your whole family's prescriptions
Keep each person's eScripts, paper-script records, repeats, dispensing updates and medication reminders separate in one Australian app.
30-day free trial · Up to 5 profiles
PBS Safety Net information shown in MediRemind is an estimate. Your pharmacy and Medicare records remain the official source.
Frequently asked questions
How does the PBS Safety Net work for families?
The PBS Safety Net allows eligible couples and dependent children to combine their PBS co-payments toward a shared annual threshold. A dependent child is generally under 16, or a financially supported full-time student under 25 attending school, college or university. Once your family's combined spending reaches the threshold ($277.20 for concession families in 2026, $1,748.20 for general patients), the co-payment drops to $0 for concession or $7.70 for general patients for the rest of the calendar year.
Does the PBS Safety Net reset?
Yes. The Safety Net resets on 1 January every year. Any spend from the previous year does not carry over. It is worth being aware of this if you have medications that cost the full co-payment — managing your script timing around the reset date can affect your out-of-pocket costs.
Do my children's scripts count toward the Safety Net?
Dependent children may count as part of your family unit for the PBS Safety Net. A dependent child is generally under 16, or a financially supported full-time student under 25 attending school, college or university. Their PBS co-payments accumulate in the same tally as yours and your partner's.
Do I need to register for the PBS Safety Net?
You need to keep track of your scripts and ask your pharmacy for a Safety Net card or spending record. Most pharmacies track your tally automatically when you fill scripts there consistently. Using one regular pharmacy may make tracking easier — they can tell you how close you are and issue a Safety Net card once the official threshold is reached.
What counts toward the PBS Safety Net threshold?
Your PBS co-payment for each script counts toward the threshold. The full drug price does not count — only your share (the co-payment). Some medications are not subsidised under the PBS and do not count at all. Your pharmacist can confirm whether a specific medication contributes to your Safety Net tally.
What happens after we reach the Safety Net?
For concession families, scripts become free (no co-payment) for the rest of the calendar year. For general patients, the co-payment drops to the concession rate ($7.70 in 2026) for the rest of the year. A PBS Safety Net card is available once the official threshold has been confirmed by your pharmacy — show it at the counter so you receive the reduced rate.
This tool provides an estimate only, based on 2026 PBS thresholds and co-payment rates. It is not financial or medical advice. Your pharmacy's dispensing record is the official source for your Safety Net tally. Mixed concession situations are not modelled — speak to your pharmacist. PBS amounts are set annually and may change. Last reviewed July 2026.