Pharmacy information for providers

To provide the best service for our veterans and their families, we have created guidance for our providers. Learn when you need us to approve prescriptions and who can get medicines under the RPBS.

The Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (RPBS) provides eligible people with access to a wide range of medicines and wound care items at a concession rate.

Learn when you need us to approve prescriptions and who can get medicines under the RPBS.

The Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme

The Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (RPBS) provides eligible veteran card holders with access to pharmaceuticals that are:

• safe
• effective
• high-quality

Eligible DVA clients

Under the RPBS, eligible veteran card holders may receive:

• items listed for supply in the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
• items listed under the RPBS, including wound care products
• items not listed on either the PBS or RPBS Schedules, if there is a clinical need

The full schedule of items listed under the RPBS are available on the PBS website.

Which DVA clients are eligible?

Veteran Gold card

Veteran Gold Card holders can obtain pharmaceuticals under the RPBS for all medical conditions.

Veteran White card

Veteran White Card holders can obtain pharmaceuticals under the RPBS for:

• accepted service-related injuries or conditions
• all mental health conditions
• cancer (malignant neoplasm) covered under non-liability health care
• pulmonary tuberculosis covered under non-liability health care

If a White Card holder also has one of the following cards, they can receive medicines for other conditions under the PBS:

• Medicare Card
• Pensioner Concession Card
• Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
• Health Care Card

Veteran Orange Card

Veteran Orange Card holders can only receive pharmaceuticals under the RPBS for their accepted medical conditions. They cannot access any medical or other health care treatment.

If a person holds both a White Card and an Orange Card they can:

• use the White Card for treatment and medicines of their accepted and non-liability health care conditions
• use the Orange Card for pharmaceuticals for all other conditions

Prior approval of prescriptions

Prior approval is not needed to prescribe a large range of scheduled pharmaceuticals available under the RPBS.

You do need our prior approval to prescribe:

• medicines listed as requiring prior approval
• greater quantities or repeats than those listed
• medicines or items not listed in either the PBS or RPBS Schedules

Please use the PBS/RPBS Authority prescription form for prior approval.

For prior approval of an RPBS Authority prescription, requests can be made by either:

• HPOS FORM UPLOAD: Use the secure form upload function in Health Professional Online Services (HPOS) to submit your request for prior approval; or
• TELEPHONE: phone us on 1800 552 580 24 hours a day; or
• MAIL: write to us at:
  Reply Paid No. 9998
  VAPAC
  GPO Box 9998
  BRISBANE QLD 4001

Veterans' Affairs Pharmaceutical Advisory Centre

Requests for prior approval can be made with the Veterans' Affairs Pharmaceutical Advisory Centre (VAPAC).

Requests need to include information about the:

• patient's eligibility under the RPBS
• disease or condition
• clinical reasons for the prescription

Requests for approval of non-scheduled items need to include an explanation of the reason why scheduled items are not appropriate.

A new form for unlisted or non-scheduled authority prescription requests via HPOS has been created and can be accessed by searching for D9547.

A unique RPBS Authority approval number is provided to prescribers for each approved request. This number must be endorsed on all copies of the RPBS Authority prescription.

For further questions about prior approval requests under the RPBS please contact VAPAC 24 hours a day on 1800 552 580.

Applications in writing

Some items may require you to write an application.

To do this you need to give:

• client information
• details of past and current therapy
• a clinical report on the patient's condition
• proposed treatment regimen
• clinical justification including evidence to support treatment

Applications can be made on your letterhead and submitted by either:

• EMAIL:  to ppo@dva.gov.au; or
• MAIL: write to us at
  VAPAC
  GPO Box 9998
  BRISBANE QLD 4001

Home Medicines Review

Treating general practitioners (GPs) and accredited pharmacists can arrange a MBS item 900 Home Medicines Review (HMR) for:

• veterans
• war widowed partners
• dependants

There is no requirement for pharmacists to register with us before providing a HMR service.

Repatriation Pharmaceutical Reference Committee - information for sponsors

The Repatriation Pharmaceutical Reference Committee (RPRC):

• advises the Repatriation Commission, Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission and the Minister on the clinical appropriateness for items available under the RPBS
• ensures that the existing, new and emerging listed items and their conditions of supply are the most appropriate to meet the special and individual needs of eligible veterans and their dependants.

Clinical experts from various medical specialities make up the RPRC. Independent representative bodies nominate members to the committee.

The RPRC meets two times per year to consider all new RPBS listing submissions and any relevant pharmaceutical matters. Pharmaceutical companies (sponsors) or their agents are welcome to make new RPBS listing submissions for consideration by us.

Sponsors should send submissions to the RPRC Secretariat 6 weeks before the next meeting.

Submissions to be sent by email to Repatriation.Pharma.Reference.Committee@dva.gov.au or mail to:

The Secretariat
Repatriation Pharmaceutical Reference Committee
Department of Veterans’ Affairs
GPO Box 9998
Brisbane QLD 4001

For more information on submissions refer to:

• Reference Manual for Submissions to the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Reference Committee (PDF 330 KB)
  Reference Manual for Submissions to the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Reference Committee (DOCX 590 KB)
• D9173 — Application to list or modify price of a product on the Repatriation Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits (RSPB) (PDF 100 KB)

Next RPRC meeting

The date of the next RPRC meeting is scheduled for 24 October 2025.

Feedback

Your feedback helps us deliver quality service to veterans and families. Read more about complaints, compliments and other feedback.

Other health bodies can also benefit from your input. For feedback about:

• medicine quality or safety, contact the Therapeutic Goods Administration
• pharmacists, contact the AHPRA Pharmacy Board
• other health professionals, contact AHPRA.