Program · Outcome 2: Ensuring improved access for all Australians to cost-effective and affordable medicines, medical, dental and hearing services; improved choice in healthcare services, through guaranteeing Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme; supporting targeted assistance strategies and private health insurance
Program 2.3: Pharmaceutical Benefits
Administer the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme to provide eligible Australians with access to timely subsidised medicines, as prescribed by their treating clinicians.
Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, 2026-27 Portfolio Budget Statements, PDF page 9 reported
$23.4bn
2026-27 Budget estimate
+$1.3bn (+6.1%) on 2025-26 estimated actual
Traced to named suppliers and grant recipients
AusTender and GrantConnect record the agency, not the program, so contracts and grants are shown on the entity page.
Published lines
Each row is one line of the program’s expense table in the 2026-27 Portfolio Budget Statements – Program Expense Line Items, as published.
| Line | Kind | 2025-26 estimated actual |
2026-27 Budget estimate |
Change | Treatment | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medicare Guarantee Fund - pharmaceutical benefits | administered | $21.1bn | $22.1bn | +$1.1bn +5.1% | reported | 2.2.1 Outcome 2, row 670 |
| Ordinary annual services | administered | $1.2bn | $1.3bn | +$126m +10.8% | reported | 2.2.1 Outcome 2, row 669 |
| accrual adjustment | administered | −$129m | $18m | +$147m – | reported | 2.2.1 Outcome 2, row 671 |