Military Rehabilitation and Compensation (MRCA Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) Amendment (Additional Community Supply Support Payment) Determination 2024

I, Andrew Kefford, a delegate of the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, approve for the purposes of subsection 286(6) of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004, the variations made by the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission of the MRCA Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in the following instrument.

Dated  1 November 2024

Andrew Kefford PSM
Deputy Secretary, Policy & Programs

Department of Veterans’ Affairs

The Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission makes the following instrument.

Dated  30 October 2024

The Seal of the

Military Rehabilitation and

Compensation Commission

was affixed to this instrument

in the presence of:

Contents

1  Name

2  Commencement

3  Authority

4  Schedules

Schedule 1—Amendments

MRCA Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme

1  Name

  This instrument is the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation (MRCA Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) Amendment (Additional Community Supply Support Payment) Determination 2024.

2  Commencement

  This instrument commences, or is taken to have commenced, at the same time as the commencement of the instrument made under paragraph 98B(1)(b) of the National Health Act 1953.

3  Authority

  This instrument is made under subsection 286(5) of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004.

4  Schedules

  Each instrument that is specified in a Schedule to this instrument is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this instrument has effect according to its terms.

Schedule 1—Amendments

MRCA Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme

1.         At the end of part 5

insert

32A Additional community supply support payment

1.            In this section:

increased maximum quantity, of a Pharmaceutical benefit, means the maximum quantity or number of units of the benefit, or of a pharmaceutical item in the benefit, that may, in 1 prescription, be directed to be supplied on any 1 occasion, for a relevant purpose, under and in accordance with this Scheme or the MRCA Treatment Principles, part 5.7.

increased maximum quantity prescription means a prescription directing the supply, on any 1 occasion, of the increased maximum quantity of a Pharmaceutical benefit.

NHA means the National Health Act 1953.

NHA instrument means the instrument made under paragraph 98B(1)(b) of the NHA.

relevant purpose, for a Pharmaceutical benefit, means a purpose, mentioned in the PBS Schedule or RPBS Schedule in relation to the benefit, that includes the phrase “The condition must be stable for the prescriber to consider the listed maximum quantity of this medicine suitable for this patient”.

Schedule equivalent—a Pharmaceutical benefit is Schedule equivalent to another Pharmaceutical benefit if the PBS Schedule or RPBS Schedule states that the benefits are equivalent.

1.            The Commission is to pay an amount of money (an ACSS payment) to a Community Pharmacist for each supply by the pharmacist of a Pharmaceutical benefit:

1.            on or after 1 April 2024; and
2.            under, and in accordance with, the Scheme or the MRCA Treatment Principles, part 5.7.

unless the supply is a supply mentioned in paragraph 5(a), (b), (c), (d), (e) or (f) of the NHA instrument.

1.            If an ACSS payment is payable for a supply, the amount of the payment is:

1.            if subsection (4) or (5) applies to the supply—the amount mentioned in paragraph 6(1)(b) of the NHA instrument; or
2.            in any other case—the amount mentioned in paragraph 6(1)(a) of the NHA instrument.

1.            This subsection applies to a supply of a Pharmaceutical benefit to an Eligible Person for which an ACSS payment is payable if:

1.            the supply is made upon an increased maximum quantity prescription directing the supply of:

1.                  the benefit; or
2.                another Pharmaceutical benefit that is Schedule equivalent to the benefit; and

1.            the supply is of the increased maximum quantity of the benefit.

1.            This subsection applies to a supply of a Pharmaceutical benefit to an Eligible Person for which an ACSS payment is payable if:

1.            the supply is made in accordance with section 16A; and
2.            the immediately preceding supply to the person of the benefit, or of another Pharmaceutical benefit that is Schedule equivalent to the benefit, was made upon an increased maximum quantity prescription directing the supply of:

1.                  the benefit; or
2.                another Pharmaceutical benefit that is Schedule equivalent to the benefit; and

1.           both the supplies mentioned in paragraphs (a) and (b) are of the increased maximum quantity of the relevant Pharmaceutical benefit.