Prescription Pricing Terms and Conditions

Prescription pricing - terms and conditions

Last updated: 22 October 2026

What "our cost + $2.50" means

For Medicare card holders, our price for a prescription is our wholesale cost for that medicine, plus $2.50. Nothing else is added to the medicine's price; postage is charged separately. Where that comes to the PBS general co-payment of $25.00 or more, you pay $25.00 instead.

When it does not apply

The cost + $2.50 rule does not apply to every prescription. It does not apply in these cases:

PBS-subsidised prescriptions priced at or above the co-payment. Where a medicine is listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, the most any pharmacy may charge is the PBS co-payment: $25.00 for a general patient, or $7.70 for a concession card holder, plus any brand premium, therapeutic group premium or special patient contribution the PBS sets for that medicine. On these prescriptions you pay the co-payment, not our cost plus $2.50.
Where the law requires the full co-payment. Some PBS prescriptions, such as an early supply of certain medicines, must be charged at the full co-payment ($25.00, or $7.70 with a concession card), with no discount.
Concession card holders. On a PBS-subsidised prescription we charge $7.10. That is the $7.70 concessional co-payment less $0.60, which is the largest discount the law permits on a concessional co-payment. On some low-cost prescriptions the Medicare card price is lower than $7.10. Ask us and we'll tell you which applies.
Private prescriptions. A private prescription is one that is not subsidised under the PBS. These are priced individually and the cost + $2.50 rule does not apply to them.
No Medicare card. The medicine is not subsidised for you. It is priced individually; the cost + $2.50 rule does not apply.

Your entitlement changes the price

Most prescriptions on our website show more than one price:

Medicare card - you hold a current Medicare card and no concession card.
No Medicare card - you are not eligible for Medicare, so the medicine is not subsidised for you and you pay the full price.
Concession card - you hold a current Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card, Commonwealth Seniors Health Card or DVA card.

You select the entitlement that applies to you when you order. We may ask you to confirm your card details before dispensing, and we may need to adjust the price if the entitlement you selected does not match your prescription or your card. If the price changes, we will contact you before we dispense.

Government subsidy

Where a medicine is listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, its price is subsidised by the Australian Government. Where you pay less than the general co-payment as a Medicare card holder, the prescription is not subsidised: you pay our price. The subsidy applies only when the medicine is prescribed in accordance with the PBS Schedule.

Prices can change

Our prices follow our wholesaler's cost, which changes. PBS co-payments are set by the Australian Government and are adjusted on 1 January each year. Unless your prescription or card means a different price applies (see above), the price shown when you order is the price you pay for that order.

Delivery is charged separately

The price of your prescription does not include postage. Standard postage is $9.99, or free on orders over $59. Express postage is $14.99. Delivery charges are shown again at checkout and are additional to the prices described on this page.

Other conditions

A valid Australian prescription is required before we can dispense.
We cannot dispense from a photograph or a scan of a paper prescription - we need the original by post, or an electronic prescription token.
Some prescriptions cannot be posted, for legal, carrier or safety reasons. If yours is one, we let you know before dispensing and refund that part of your order.
We may decline to dispense where our pharmacist has a professional concern. If we do, we will explain why and refund that part of your order.

Questions

Call our pharmacist on 03 4318 0200 or email sales@healthezpharmacy.com.au. Advice about your prescription is free, before or after you order.