Complete: Harmonisation of Authority Required (Streamlined) listings across public and private hospital PBS items for the Section 100 - Highly Specialised Drugs program

Page last updated: 25 October 2019

In response to sector feedback and a recommendation by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC), private hospital listings for medicines under the Section 100 Highly Specialised Drugs (HSD) program have been amended to Authority Required (Streamlined) in the instances where the medicine is already listed as Authority Required (Streamlined) for public hospitals. This means that eligible practitioners in private hospitals are also able to prescribe relevant HSDs using Authority Required (Streamlined) codes. This provides consistency for prescribers regardless of the hospital setting.

Prescriber and patient eligibility criteria, as well as current dispensing arrangements remain unchanged. There is no change to the HSD Program Community Access arrangements or HSDs where the intended authority level is Authority Required (Written) or Authority Required (Telephone).

Private hospital listings have different item codes and Authority Required (Streamlined) codes than the public hospital listings for the same medicine. It is important that the correct combination of item and Authority Required (Streamlined) codes are used in each prescribing setting. More detailed information on prescribing Authority Required (Streamlined) medicines is available on the Services Australia website.

Implementation of the PBAC’s recommendation to streamline HSD prescribing arrangements will be complete as of the 1 November 2019 PBS listing. Please see the Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits (Summary of Changes) published 1 November for the final batch of restriction level changes to HSD medicines. Future listings for HSD medicines recommended by the PBAC for an authority level of Authority Required (Streamlined) will be reflected equally across public and private hospital listings.