Department of Health and Ageing

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme

In 2002/03 Australia’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) cost $5.48 billion.

Porter Novelli Melbourne was selected by the Federal Government to undertake the public relations component of an integrated campaign with the overriding goal of behaviours in order to stem the cost of the PBS.

Porter Novelli’s key activities included:

• A major launch event in Melbourne involving the then Health Minister, Senator Kaye Patterson and leading medical and pharmaceutical stakeholders
  
• Daily issues management and advice
  
• A major consumer website to stand beside the PBS site and help to deliver the campaign’s Call to Action
  
• A flow of media activity, customised to specific media outlets and regions
  
• A major shopping centre promotion spanning 32 centres in eastern states, directly touching 20 000 PBS consumers
  
• Media materials and media relations to maintain momentum after the launch, targeted to specific audiences and behaviours around the use and prescribing of pharmaceuticals

By 2004/2005 against a background of health costs increasing by up to three times CPI, the cost of the PBS was $6.5 billion.

PBS Govt Expenditure Annual Growth Rates 199192 to 200203 (General, Concessional and Safety-Nets)

For more information about this case study, please contact Peter Kent.