8CPA Dispense pricing changes: Temporary indexation freeze and reduction of optional $1 discount 

The Eighth Community Pharmacy Agreement announced that there will be a temporary freeze on indexation for Maximum Co-payment amounts for 2025, along with phasing out the optional Co-payment discount (previously referred to as the optional $1 discount). 

Concessional Patients 

From 2025 to 2029, the Maximum Allowable Discount for Concessional patients will be gradually reduced by $0.20 each year to offset the Co-payment freeze. For example, for 2025, the Maximum Allowable Discount will be up to $0.80. 

General Patients 

For 2025 only, the Maximum Allowable Discount for General patients is up to $0.10. From 2026 onwards, indexation will resume, and the Allowable Discount will no longer apply to General patients. 

The January 2025 Dispense Update contains these changes  

The Maximum Allowable Discount values for both Concessional and General patients will be provided in the January 2025 Dispensary Updates. If the current Maximum Allowable Discount values in Minfos exceed these maximums (e.g., you have $1.00 set for both Concessional and General), the January Dispense Update will automatically adjust them to $0.80 and $0.10, respectively. 

If the Use max. govt discount checkbox is selected, these values will automatically update to $0.80 for Concessional and $0.10 for General. 

No changes will be made if the current discount values are already below the new Maximum Allowable Discount amounts. 

Glossary

Term

Definition

Actual customer contribution

The price paid by the customer for PBS/RPBS funded medicines, depending on the customer’s entitlement.

This can be inclusive or exclusive of the co-payment discount, depending on your pharmacy’s discount settings, and is exclusive of any Brand Premiums that may apply.

Maximum Allowable Discount

For a supply other than an early supply, the maximum allowable discount may be applied to the customers co-payment.

Concessional customer

A customer who is charged at the concessional co-payment rate.

This also includes customers who have reached their general safety net.

Co-payment

See, “Actual customer contribution”.

Eligible scripts

Co-payment PBS scripts that do not have safety net consequences.

General customer

A customer who is charged at the general co-payment rate.

Set up co-payment discount amounts

If you want to offer a co-payment discount to your customers, you must first set up your co-payment discount amounts in Minfos. You can enter up a value up to the Maximum Allowable Discount for either concessional scripts, general scripts or both. You can also set different discounts for concessional and general scripts.

To set up your co-payment discount amounts

From Dispense Pro:

1. Click the Maintenance menu and select C. Options . 

The Options window is displayed.

2. In the Concession Co-payment Discount text box, enter an amount up to the Maximum Allowable Discount that you want to discount concession scripts.

3. In the General Co-payment Discount text box, enter an amount up to the Maximum Allowable Discount that you want to discount general scripts.

If you do not want to offer one or both of the discounts, leave the value as “0.00”.

4. You can choose to automatically update selected allowable fees to charge the maximum allowed value by checking the Use max. govt discount checkbox.

When this checkbox is selected:

  • The Co-payment discount fields will populate to the maximum value and be disabled
  • The maximum value will be used in Minfos dispense pricing where applicable
  • Dispense updates will auto update the fields if there is a change in value/s

5. Click Okay, to save your changes.

Note: If you enter a value above the Maximum Allowable Discount, and then click Okay, the Configuration error prompt is displayed.
  • Click OK to close the error and then re-enter a valid discount value, then click Okay

Your co-payment discounts are saved but they are not automatically applied when you dispense eligible scripts.

Refer to Set Co-Payment Discount default to set your Pharmacy default.