WA Health Fees Shift: Out-Patient Services and Medicines Face New Maximum Charges

WA Health Fees Shift: Out-Patient Services and Medicines Face New Maximum Charges

The Health Services (Fees and Charges) Amendment Order 2026, gazetted on June 19, 2026, marks a significant update to how Western Australians are billed for public health services.

What happened

The Cook Labor Government, through the Department of Health, has updated the Health Services (Fees and Charges) Order 2016. This amendment ditches specific references to 'participating hospital', 'PBS list', and 'PBS price' from the fee structure. Instead, it establishes new maximum charges for a range of out-patient services and medicines, providing a clearer, albeit potentially higher, ceiling for patient costs. The changes were enacted under the Health Services Act 2016.

What this means for you

If you are a Western Australian accessing public out-patient services or requiring certain medicines through the public system, be aware that maximum charges have been reset. For health service providers, this means a revised framework for billing and revenue, with clear upper limits on what can be charged for these services. While the exact fees may vary, the new maximums are the key figures to monitor. This move potentially impacts out-of-pocket expenses for patients and the revenue streams for healthcare organisations.

What this means for WA

This move signals a broader trend of the WA Government reviewing and adjusting its fee structures across various portfolios, as seen in recent updates to commerce and land fees. By decoupling from PBS pricing for certain services and medicines, the government is asserting more direct control over its revenue and expenditure within the health system. It suggests a strategic recalibration of how public health services are funded and delivered, potentially aiming for greater financial predictability or to capture increased revenue from service provision.

The numbers

The Health Services (Fees and Charges) Amendment Order 2026, gazetted on June 19, 2026, is the primary document. It removes definitions related to 'PBS list' and 'PBS price', signifying a departure from direct reliance on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme for setting these fees. The core change is the establishment of new maximum charges for specific out-patient services and medicines. While the exact figures for these new maximums are not detailed in the provided context, their introduction is the critical takeaway, indicating a new ceiling for patient costs. This follows a pattern of fee adjustments, with related tabled papers showing changes to Industrial Relations, Commerce, and Land fees in 2026.

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