Should I use the PBS co-payment or full price for cost-per-day?

For counselling a PBS-registered patient on their out-of-pocket cost, use the PBS co-payment. For comparing true medication cost or for non-PBS patients, use the full pack price. The calculator shows both options.

How do I counsel a patient who says they can't afford their medication?

Start with the daily cost figure to contextualise. Check if they're using PBS correctly. Check if a generic is available at lower cost. Enquire about concession card eligibility. For very high-cost medications, ask about PBS Authority item status or Closing the Gap scripts if applicable.

What is the PBS Safety Net?

The PBS Safety Net is reached when a family's total out-of-pocket PBS script payments in a calendar year exceed a threshold (~$1,573 for general patients, ~$348 for concession at 2024 rates). Once the Safety Net is reached, scripts cost much less or are free. Keep all PBS receipts or register online at Services Australia.

Cost Per Day Calculator — Free Pharmacy Calculator

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Patient on five medications is asking which one 'costs the most' — not because of the co-payment, but the actual daily cost. You need the number to counsel them meaningfully before they consider stopping one.

Cost Per Day Calculator

Business

Pack price ($)

Pack quantity

Total tablets, mL etc. per pack

Dose per administration

Doses per day

Daily units = Dose per admin × Doses per day Days per pack = Pack qty ÷ Daily units Cost per day = Pack price ÷ Days per pack Example: $22.50 pack · 30 tablets · 1 tablet OD
Days per pack = 30 · Cost per day = $0.75 · Per year = $273.75

Reference: PBS — Patient Copayments · NPS MedicineWise

⚕️ Clinical safety: 🇦🇺 Verify with facility drug formulary and senior clinician · Meets AHPRA/ACSQHC standards

1 What this calculator does

Calculates the daily cost of a medication from the pack price (full cost), the number of tablets or dose units in the pack, the dose per administration, and the dosing frequency. Allows comparison of two medications side-by-side for patient counselling.

2 Formula & professional reasoning

Cost per dose = Pack price ÷ Pack quantity
Doses per day = Dose per admin × Doses per day count
Cost per day = Cost per dose × Doses per day

Pack price and days supply are not directly comparable between products because pack sizes vary dramatically. A $28.50 pack of 28 tablets at once daily costs $1.02/day. A $45 pack of 100 tablets at twice daily costs $0.90/day. Cost per day normalises for pack size and dosing frequency, giving the patient and clinician the true ongoing cost of each medication — essential for adherence counselling when cost is a barrier.

3 Worked examples

⚠️ Illustrative example only — not clinical or professional instruction.

Basic

Simple once-daily tablet

Given: Pack: $22.80 · Qty: 30 tablets · Dose: 1 tablet · Frequency: once daily

Working: Cost/tablet: $22.80 ÷ 30 = $0.76 · Cost/day: $0.76 × 1

Answer: $0.76 per day · $22.80 per 30 days

💡 Patient-friendly framing: 'less than 80 cents a day'.

Standard

Twice-daily medication comparison

Given: Pack: $38.40 · Qty: 60 tablets · Dose: 1 tablet · Frequency: twice daily

Working: Cost/tablet: $38.40 ÷ 60 = $0.64 · Cost/day: $0.64 × 2

Answer: $1.28 per day · $38.40 per 30 days

💡 Same 30-day cost as above but twice-daily — cost per tablet is lower but daily cost is higher.

Advanced

PBS vs private cost comparison

Given: PBS co-payment: $7.70 for 30 days · Full cost: $28.50 for 30 days

Working: PBS: $7.70 ÷ 30 = $0.26/day · Full price: $28.50 ÷ 30 = $0.95/day

Answer: PBS: $0.26/day · Full price: $0.95/day · Patient saves $0.69/day on PBS

💡 Concession card holders pay a lower co-payment again. Ensure patient knows their entitlement.

4 Sanity check

PBS general co-payment 2024

Approx $31.60 per script (check pbs.gov.au for current)

Co-payment is capped at the Safety Net threshold. Concession: approximately $7.70.

Safety Net threshold

PBS Safety Net kicks in after a set number of scripts per year

Once threshold reached, PBS items are free for concession holders and reduced cost for others.

Cost context for patients

Express as per day and per month

$1.20/day sounds less than $43.80/month — use daily framing for adherence counselling.

Generic vs brand

Generic may be significantly cheaper off-PBS

Advise patients that generics have the same active ingredient and are therapeutically equivalent.

5 Common errors

Error	Cause	Consequence	Fix
Using the patient co-payment instead of full pack cost	Using PBS co-payment as pack price	Daily cost vastly underestimated — not meaningful for non-PBS patients	Use the full listed price (ARTG or PBS benefit price) for cost-per-day calculation. The co-payment is the patient's out-of-pocket portion only.
Not accounting for dose per administration	Assuming 1 tablet per dose for all medications	Daily cost halved for 2-tablet doses or doubled for 0.5-tablet doses	Check the actual prescription dose — some medications are 2 tablets per dose, or 0.5 tablet
Comparing packs with different pack sizes without normalising	Comparing $30/30 tabs vs $50/60 tabs	More expensive-looking pack is actually cheaper per day	Always normalise to cost per day — never compare by pack price alone
Not offering PBS registration advice to unregistered eligible patients	Assuming patient already has Medicare/PBS card	Patient paying full price unnecessarily	Check whether the patient holds a Medicare card and is using it. Advise on PBS concession card if they may be eligible.