Updated PBS Cost Recovery arrangements for 2020-21

Page last updated: 19 June 2020

The 2020-21 Cost Recovery Implementation Statement (CRIS) is now available on the PBS website.

The CRIS provides information on how the Department of Health (the department) implements cost recovery for:

• Submissions to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) for medicines seeking to be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS); or vaccines to be listed on the National Immunisation Program (NIP).
• Applicant-driven PBS listing and list management activities.

From 1 July 2020, in addition to the agreed increase to existing fees as described in the 2019-20 CRIS, there are three key changes to the 2020-21 fees:

• Reduced Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) fees: to reflect efficient costs.
• Further delay of the deed management related fees.
• Introduction of an Intent to Apply step for PBAC secretariat submissions (Committee secretariat submissions): all Committee secretariat submissions lodged after 28 July 2020 will require an Intent to Apply form. This will result in an increase to the 2020-21 evaluation fee for these submissions.

Minor amendments to the National Health (Pharmaceutical and Vaccines—Cost Recovery) Regulations 2009 have been made to support these changes and to further clarify the department’s cost recovery administrative processes. An Explanatory Statement outlining details of all the changes is available on the PBS Cost Recovery webpage.

To support implementation of the 2020-21 cost recovery arrangements and regulation amendments, updates have also been made to the:

• PBS Cost Recovery webpage
• Procedure guidance for listing medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
• PBS Forms
• Cost Recovery Administrative Guidelines

If you have any questions regarding these updates please email PBSimprovements@health.gov.au