This means cheaper prescriptions for consumers although the substitution will not occur where it is explicitly vetoed by the prescribing doctor. People may have to pay extra if there is more than one brand of a medicine available under the PBS and the doctor prescribes a more expensive brand and vetoes substitution. However, the patient can ask the doctor to prescribe the lowest priced brand. There is no difference in the quality of different brands, as all medicines listed on the PBS are subject to strict quality controls. Under Medicare, the Federal Government provides a range of grants to government and non-government bodies in order to achieve specific health care objectives.
Some countries have reciprocal health care agreements with Australia.
At December 1994, these were Great Britain, Finland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Sweden. Visitors from these countries are eligible for Medicare assistance for immediately necessary medical treatment. If hospital treatment is required under these circumstances, such visitors are eligible only as Medicare hospital patients, not as private patients. Other visitors are not eligible for Medicare and should arrange for other health insurance to cover their stay in Australia.