RPMA – Ministerial Announcement

As per the PPA’s website update published on 25 November 2020, from 1 January 2021, RPMA eligibility and annual payment amounts will no longer be based upon the Pharmacy Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia (PhARIA) categories and will instead be based upon the Modified Monash Model (MMM) rural classification system.  This change is in line with arrangements agreed under the Seventh Agreement between the Australian Government, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia (the Guild) and the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA).

Today Minister Hunt has also announced additional changes to the RPMA Program, including the program name changing from the Rural Pharmacy Maintenance Allowance to the Regional Pharmacy Maintenance Allowance. 

Updated Program Rules, RPMA payment matrix and FAQs have been published on the PPA website to reflect these changes.

The PPA will contact pharmacies, on behalf of the Department of Health, in the coming days to explain how these changes will affect them.