Process for Authority required (STREAMLINED) item 012-63020040

Authority required

• These items require approval from Services Australia or the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) via online PBS Authorities (PBS items only), by telephone or in writing

Authority required (STREAMLINED)

• The Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits (PBS) lists a streamlined authority code which applies to each restriction criterion for an Authority required (STREAMLINED) item
• Approved prescribers must ensure their patient meets the restriction criteria for the item and must indicate this by putting the corresponding streamlined authority code on the prescription
• A prescription is only valid for dispensing when a valid authority prescription form is used and includes the streamlined authority code - the code should be recorded where the Authority approval number usually appears
  Note: only 1 item can be written per authority prescription (exception: approved public hospital script pads)

Note: for increased quantities and/or repeats above those specified in the Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits, the item will be treated as an Authority required item.

There are no Authority required (STREAMLINED) items in the Repatriation Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits.

Streamlined authority codes are available in the Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits via the PBS website.

Services Australia does not assess the eligibility of Authority required (STREAMLINED) listings. It is the prescriber’s responsibility to determine if their patient satisfies the streamlined restriction criteria.

Authority required (STREAMLINED) items for the listed quantity and/or repeats do not require approval from Services Australia or Department of Veterans' Affairs.

Prescribers must write a non-PBS prescription for streamlined items not meeting the PBS criteria. There is no exemption process for streamlined items not meeting PBS indications. Refer enquiries to Department of Health and Aged Care (DoHAC) PBS general enquiries.

The Resources page contains a link to the DoHAC PBS general enquiries.

Increased quantities and/or repeats for an Authority required (STREAMLINED) item

If a prescriber requires increased quantities and/or repeats, they must contact Services Australia for approval. The approval can be requested either via:

• Online PBS Authorities (self-serve)
• Telephone, or
• HPOS form upload/postal (written authority requests)

Approved suppliers must enter the streamlined authority code when claiming PBS Authority required (STREAMLINED) items (for the listed quantity and/or repeats).

All claims with an incorrect or missing streamlined authority code or authority approval number will be rejected.

Prescriptions for increased quantities and/or repeats must have a Services Australia or Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) issued authority approval number or stamp. In these circumstances, the streamlined authority code cannot be used. Prescribers must obtain approval for increased quantities and/or repeats either via self-service through Online PBS Authorities by telephone or in writing to Services Australia or DVA.

If a prescriber contacts Services Australia requesting a streamlined authority code for a particular item, Service Officers may help the prescriber to locate the streamlined code in pbs.gov.au.

The onus is on the prescriber to provide the streamlined code that meets the restriction criteria for their patient.

Service Officers may approve streamlined items sent as written applications or applied for as phone approvals if the prescriber is requesting increased quantities and/or repeats.

The Process page contains the procedure to follow for requests for items where the quantity and repeats would be a streamlined approval.