Published: 7 April 2026 By Theo Loxley
YOUR 2026 MEDICARE RELIEF - THE GOOD NEWS FIRST Before we get to the difficult NDIS news, here is what is already in your pocket. The government's 2026 Medical Cost Relief measures are real, verified, and available to every Medicare card holder today. |
What Changed | Before 2026 | From 1 Jan 2026 | Your Annual Saving |
PBS script cost (general) | $31.60 per script | $25.00 per script | Up to $200M+ nationally |
PBS script cost (concession) | $7.70 per script | $7.70 - FROZEN to 2030 | Protected from CPI rises |
60-day prescriptions | 30-day supply per script | 60-day supply, 1 co-payment | Up to $360/yr per medicine |
PBS Safety Net threshold | Higher annual threshold | Reduced - you qualify sooner | Deeper discounts, faster |
Bulk billing target | ~75% of GP visits | Target: 9/10 visits by 2030 | Fewer out-of-pocket GP costs |
1800MEDICARE helpline | Not available | Live 24/7 nurse advice line | Free expert health advice |
If your household fills four or more PBS scripts per month, you could be saving over $400 per year compared to 2025 prices. For Australians managing chronic conditions - anxiety, depression, ADHD, chronic pain - this is not a small thing.
The Crisis: What Is Happening to the NDIS Right Now?
This morning, April 7, 2026, something rare happened in Australian politics: Labor's own MPs broke ranks.
Labor backbencher and paediatrician Mike Freelander told AAP that the NDIS - currently a $50 billion scheme growing at over 10 per cent per year - needs a wholesale redesign, including a direct conversation about who is, and is not, eligible.
WHAT WAS ACTUALLY SAID TODAY "The NDIS was designed for people with severe disability, and it's vitally important... that we do keep it for people with severe disability." — MP Mike Freelander, Labor backbencher and paediatrician, AAP, 7 April 2026 |
Labor Senator Michelle Anandah-Rajah, also a doctor, went further - calling the NDIS "fundamentally flawed", and expressing concern that the "medicalisation of the normal range of neurodiversity has resulted in a whole new industry."
That last sentence should get your attention if you or someone you support has a diagnosis of mild autism, ADHD, or developmental delay. These are the categories sitting squarely in the crosshairs of eligibility reform.
