19 June 2020: any MRCA Treatment Pathway 1 and Treatment Pathway 2 information below has been retained for historical purposes only. A Single Treatment Pathway has been in effect since 12 December 2019. See section 8.1 Overview for current information.
The Veterans Affairs Pharmaceuticals Advisory Centre (VAPAC) can assist SRCA and MRCA delegates with medication related enquiries, including appropriate remuneration or negotiation with a pharmacy where a delegate suspects inappropriate pricing, mark ups or dispensing fees are being charged.
VAPAC is able to deem the recovery price of a supplied medicine and calculate an appropriate level of remuneration for a pharmacy based on Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) principles - which are agreed to by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia.
A database that prices all pharmaceuticals does not exist, however, the PBS.gov.au website does list agreed dispensed prices for commonly prescribed medications, but not all medicines including over-the-counter products.
Pharmaceutical claims made by SRCA or MRCA clients must therefore be at the PBS price unless the pharmacy can justify and have the variation approved by VAPAC.
Contact details for the VAPAC Team is via email to VAPAC MRCG Advice or by phone on 1800 552 580.