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Closing the Gap (CTG) PBS Co-payment Program

Page last updated: 16 October 2025

The CTG PBS Co-payment Program improves access to affordable prescribed PBS medicines for First Nations people who, in their doctor’s opinion, would experience setbacks in the prevention or ongoing management of chronic disease if they did not take their prescribed PBS medicine and would be unlikely to adhere to their medicines regimen without assistance through the program.

The cost of medicines remains a significant barrier to access for First Nations people. Under the CTG PBS Co-payment Program, if a patient is registered for the CTG PBS Co-payment Program at the time eligible PBS medicines are dispensed, the co-payment reduction will apply. Therefore, eligible First Nations people who are registered on the CTG PBS Co-payment Register and who would normally pay:

  • the full general PBS co-payment amount, pay the concessional rate when obtaining their PBS medicines from an CTG PBS Co-payment Program approved supplier,
  • the concessional rate receives their prescribed PBS medicines for free, without having to pay a co‑payment, from an approved CTG PBS Co-payment Program supplier.

For the CTG PBS Co-payment to apply, the PBS prescription must be dispensed by an CTG PBS Co-payment Program supplier. CTG PBS Program suppliers are:

  • An approved community pharmacist (approved under section 90 of the National Health Act 1953)
  • An approved medical practitioner (approved under section 92 of the National Health Act 1953)
  •  An approved private or public hospital authority (approved under section 94 of the National Health Act 1953)

Complementing this program and recognising that there may not be pharmacies available to dispense in some remote areas, the Remote Area Aboriginal Health Services (RAAHS) Program allows clients of approved RAAHS to receive PBS medicines directly from their RAAHS, without the need for a normal PBS prescription, and without charge.

For more information about the RAAHS Program, please visit the Services Australia or Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website.

CTG PBS Co-payment Program Patient Eligibility

The CTG PBS Co-payment Program is available to First Nations people of any age, no matter of their location, who are registered with Medicare, and in the opinion of a prescriber or Aboriginal Health Practitioner (AHP):

  • would experience setbacks in the prevention or ongoing management of a condition if the person did not take their prescribed PBS medicine; and
  • are unlikely to adhere to their medicines regimen without assistance through the program.

Registering for the CTG PBS Co-payment Program

Any PBS prescriber or eligible AHP can register eligible First Nations people for the CTG PBS Co-payment Program and is referred to as a CTG PBS Co-payment Program registering practitioner. Registration of eligible First Nations people is completed via the Services Australia Health Professional Online Services (HPOS) portal and is a one-off registration process.

Once a First Nations person has been assessed by an CTG PBS Co-payment Program registering practitioner as being eligible for the program, the CTG PBS Co-payment Program registering practitioner can register the patient to the CTG PBS Co-payment Program within HPOS. Alternatively, the CTG PBS Co-payment Program registering practitioner can authorise a HPOS delegate to act on their behalf. A delegate will need to register for their own PRODA (Provider Digital Access) account before being linked to a CTG PBS Co-payment Program registering practitioners HPOS account.

Refer to Services Australia training module for a step-by-step guide on how to register an eligible assessed patient: Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) - Closing the Gap PBS Co-payment - Health Professional Education Resources

If a patient is unsure whether they are registered for the program, their health professional, who has access to HPOS will be able to check via HPOS for them. Alternatively, a pharmacist can check the patient’s registration status within their dispensing software.

In remote areas with limited internet access, a health service or clinic can phone Services Australia on 132 290 to register the patient for the program.

Questions regarding the use of the HPOS portal should be directed to Services Australia. Contact details can be found at Health professionals contact information – Services Australia.

CTG PBS co-payment Program - Patient Withdrawal / de-registration 

A CTG PBS co-payment Program registering practitioner or their delegate cannot withdraw a patient from the CTG PBS Co-payment Program unless the registration was an administrative error. For assistance with amending a registration error call Services Australia on 132 290. 

If a patient wishes to withdraw from the CTG PBS Co-payment Program, they can do this by calling Services Australia on 132 290.

CTG PBS Co-payment Program - Eligible PBS medicines

The CTG PBS Co-payment Program applies to PBS prescriptions for ALL medicines listed on the PBS. Eligible medicines included are:

  • All Section 85 PBS medicines (General Schedule)
  • All Section 100 PBS medicines (Section 100), including the Section 100 programs:
    • Highly Specialised Drugs Program (which includes Opioid Dependence Treatment , hepatitis B, and HIV antiretroviral medicines)
    • Efficient Funding of Chemotherapy Program
    • Botulinum Toxin Program
    • PBS Growth Hormone Program
    • In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Program
  • Approved 60-day PBS medicines
  • Medicines supplied under Continued Dispensing arrangements

NOTE:

  •  Over-the-counter and non-PBS medicines are not eligible under the CTG PBS Co-payment Program.
  • Where a brand premium applies to a PBS medicine covered under the CTG PBS Co-payment Program, eligible First Nations patients will need to pay the brand premium at the time of dispensing.

Further information for the CTG PBS Co-payment Program

Questions from pharmacists regarding changes to the dispensing software should be directed to the respective software vendor. Questions regarding PBS claiming can be directed to Services Australia on 132 290.

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions and further information for First Nations people, community pharmacies, hospital pharmacies, prescribers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners are provided at the links below:

Questions regarding PBS claiming can be directed to Services Australia on 132 290.

Program Data and Expenditure Information

We report the following for the CTG PBS Co-payment Program:

  • Annual number of PBS items supplied under the CTG PBS Co-payment Program
  • Annual expenditure of the CTG benefit amount

Note:

  • Expenditure figures are rounded to the nearest dollar and are reported for each state and territory.
  • Expenditure figures refer to payments made through Services Australia and directly from the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing financial journaling system.
  • Accuracy on the Expenditure of the CTG PBS Co-payment Program can vary depending on when the data has been updated.
Total Expenditure for Medicines and Number of PBS Items Supplied 2024-25

NSW

VIC

NT

QLD

SA

WA

TAS

ACT

TOTAL

CTG Benefit TOTAL ($)

$30,050,640

$6,126,219

$2,410,452

$23,714,251

$4,460,270

$7,979,799

$2,907,989

$887,774

$78,537,394

PBS Items Supplied

3,861,444

805,745

273,079

3,002,649

614,344

994,777

407,823

95,339

10,055,200
Total Expenditure for Medicines and Number of PBS Items Supplied 2023-24

NSW

VIC

NT

QLD

SA

WA

TAS

ACT

TOTAL

CTG Benefit TOTAL ($)

$26,806,125

$5,311,194

$2,171,847

$21,515,011

$4,007,986

$7,176,852

$2,606,951

$722,576

$70,318,542

PBS Items Supplied

3,609,103

723,642

257,623

2,814,320

571,525

933,406

381,433

83,726

9,374,778
Total Expenditure for Medicines and Number of PBS Items Supplied 2022-23

NSW

VIC

NT

QLD

SA

WA

TAS

ACT

TOTAL

CTG Benefit TOTAL ($)

$24,405,025

$4,765,821

$1,997,771

$19,713,348

$3,652,695

$6,692,866

$2,351,202

$653,832

$64,232,564

PBS Items Supplied

3,356,993

666,169

238,766

2,652,385

530,868

833,852

352,128

75,666

8,756,827
Total Expenditure for Medicines and Number of PBS Items Supplied 2021-22

NSW

VIC

NT

QLD

SA

WA

TAS

ACT

TOTAL

CTG Benefit TOTAL ($)

$25,528,191

$5,061,511

$1,979,382

$20,614,868

$3,920,609

$7,127,291

$2,467,109

$693,890

$67,392,855

PBS Items Supplied

3,349,975

665,989

230,101

2,660,629

536,357

903,339

349,345

74,616

8,770,351
Total Expenditure for Medicines and Number of PBS Items Supplied 2020-21

NSW

VIC

NT

QLD

SA

WA

TAS

ACT

TOTAL

CTG Benefit TOTAL ($)

$21,643,080

$4,135,554

$1,739,773

$16,446,195

$3,434,498

$5,946,244

$1,912,271

$569,635

$55,827,252

PBS Items Supplied

2,955,651

565,002

207,671

2,207,179

489,797

784,224

285,266

63,554

7,558,344
Total Expenditure for Medicines and Number of PBS Items Supplied 2019-20

NSW

VIC

NT

QLD

SA

WA

TAS

ACT

TOTAL

CTG Benefit TOTAL ($)

 $21,209,964

 $3,893,438

 $1,678,866

 $16,014,274

 $3,421,251

 $5,928,628

$1,805,016

$514,785

$54,466,225

PBS Items Supplied

2,833,796

522,197

200,156

2,097,857

473,731

775,731

262,406

56,566

7,222,440
Total Expenditure for Medicines and Number of PBS Items Supplied 2018-19

NSW

VIC

NT

QLD

SA

WA

TAS

ACT

TOTAL

CTG Benefit TOTAL ($)

$19,167,646

$3,395,983

$1,522,072

$14,204,722

$3,146,362

$5,332,003

$1,559,079

$462,685

$48,783,635

PBS Items Supplied

2,591,849

460,730

184,148

1,890,189

444,072

711,832

227,353

51,597

6,561,770
Total Expenditure for Medicines and Number of PBS Items Supplied 2017-18

NSW

VIC

NT

QLD

SA

WA

TAS

ACT

TOTAL

CTG Benefit TOTAL ($)

$17,373,786

$3,088,747

$1,359,657

$12,591,789

$2,884,818

$4,845,041

$1,345,563

$416,730

$43,906,135

PBS Items Supplied

2,388,535

432,330

168,712

1,712,128

414,504

654,970

198,529

48,072

6,017,780
Total Expenditure for Medicines and Number of PBS Items Supplied 2016-17

NSW

VIC

NT

QLD

SA

WA

TAS

ACT

TOTAL

CTG Benefit TOTAL ($)

$15,495,206

$2,725,726

$1,134,860

$10,954,271

$2,667,655

$4,368,211

$1,143,950

$361,738

$38,851,621

PBS Items Supplied

2,157,753

388,032

140,129

1,512,323

386,749

596,169

170,156

42,264

5,393,575
Total Expenditure for Medicines and Number of PBS Items Supplied 2015-16

NSW

VIC

NT

QLD

SA

WA

TAS

ACT

TOTAL

CTG Benefit TOTAL ($)

$13,867,432

$2,540,274

$1,068,012

$9,720,552

$2,305,376

$4,006,622

$956,170

$368,797

$34,833,236

PBS Items Supplied

1,935,642

365,310

132,271

1,325,848

337,071

545,248

144,177

45,228

4,830,795
Total Expenditure for Medicines and Number of PBS Items Supplied 2014-15

NSW

VIC

NT

QLD

SA

WA

TAS

ACT

TOTAL

CTG Benefit TOTAL ($)

$11,741,443

$2,029,457

$859,690

$8,074,056

$2,202,649

$3,383,061

$774,318

$292,947

$29,357,621

PBS Items Supplied

1,702,570

304,988

108,442

1,138,348

328,891

471,576

120,340

37,333

4,212,488
Total Expenditure for Medicines and Number of PBS Items Supplied 2013-14

NSW

VIC

NT

QLD

SA

WA

TAS

ACT

TOTAL

CTG Benefit TOTAL ($)

$9,816,430

$1,683,014

$935,121

$6,827,129

$1,723,315

$3,123,573

$619,307

$428,452

$25,156,341

PBS Items Supplied

1,382,756

247,954

110,735

925,306

254,347

414,799

92,416

53,200

3,481,513
Total Expenditure for Medicines and Number of PBS Items Supplied 2012-13

NSW

VIC

NT

QLD

SA

WA

TAS

ACT

TOTAL

CTG Benefit TOTAL ($)

$7,438,131

$1,516,325

$646,572

$5,248,183

$1,371,726

$2,203,288

$425,045

$338,910

$19,188,179

PBS Items Supplied

1,051,636

216,394

73,149

698,536

200,102

290,006

62,003

41,025

2,632,851
Total Expenditure for Medicines and Number of PBS Items Supplied 2011-12

NSW

VIC

NT

QLD

SA

WA

TAS

ACT

TOTAL

CTG Benefit TOTAL ($)

$5,457,662

$1,236,246

$408,712

$3,667,974

$1,012,893

$1,579,836

$273,085

$252,889

$13,889,297

PBS Items Supplied

763,210

175,244

45,930

481,083

148,972

207,855

39,615

29,916

1,891,825
Total Expenditure for Medicines and Number of PBS Items Supplied 2010-11

NSW

VIC

NT

QLD

SA

WA

TAS

ACT

TOTAL

CTG Benefit TOTAL ($)

$2,500,029

$540,774

$117,740

$1,628,786

$447,923

$609,787

$108,311

$116,239

$6,069,589

PBS Items Supplied

343,817

80,911

13,979

212,513

63,600

80,691

14,768

13,304

823,583

Note: Total Expenditure reflects the total Closing the Gap benefit amount and prescriptions.

Expenditure of the Closing the Gap PBS Co-payment Program can vary depending on data being updated regularly, with no cut-off date for claim submission.

Requests for any additional data or further breakdowns should be directed to Services Australia.  Services Australia will evaluate your request in line with their data release policies, and respond accordingly.

Requests to Services Australia for statistical data must be made in writing and clearly state:

  • how the information contributes to improving Australia's health;
  • the type of information required;
  • what the information will be used for; and
  • to whom the information will be disclosed.

Written requests can be sent to:
Health MI Section
Health Support and Performance Branch
Services Australia
PO Box 7788
Canberra BC ACT 2610
or email:  statistics@servicesaustralia.gov.au