Co-payment discounting is one of the changes introduced as part of the 6th Community Pharmacy Agreement (6CPA). From 1 January 2016, your pharmacy may choose to discount the PBS co-payment price, paid by the customer, by a maximum of $1.00. 

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.

Allowable discount

For a supply other than an early supply, the allowable discount is a maximum of $1.00, commencing 1 January 2016.

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 to a $1 co-payment 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 $1.00 that you want to discount concession scripts.

3. In the General Co-payment Discount text box, enter an amount up to $1.00 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 allowed $1.00, 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.