Mid-year vaccine shake-up incoming

From 1 July 2025, pharmacists will see a range of adjustments to how they deliver and bill for vaccination. 

Here, Australian Pharmacist outlines the changes in vaccination services and fees pharmacists can expect from early next month.

1. NIPVIP vaccine administration fees will (slightly) increase

In 2025, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 2.4%. So from next month, there will be a CPI increase applied to all National Immunisation Program Vaccinations in Pharmacy (NIPVIP) vaccines administered. Pharmacists will receive $20.05 per vaccine administered, up from $19.60.

2. The COVID-19 vaccination payment will (significantly) drop 

In less than a week, community pharmacists will see a significant reduction in the COVID-19 vaccine administration fee. The new rate will be $20.05 per vaccine administration in all Australian locations.

This is a significant decrease from the previous rates per dose, which were:

• $28.35 in urban areas
• $31.60 in regional/rural areas.

The change in the fee structure is designed to align the COVID-19 Vaccination in Community Pharmacy (CVCP) Program administration rates with the NIPVIP rate. 

The CVCP Program is a temporary initiative, which is scheduled to end on 30 June 2026. Arrangements regarding COVID-19 vaccination beyond this date have not yet been announced.

3. There will be no more COVID-19 vaccine flag-fall fee

Along with receiving a per-vaccine fee, pharmacists who administered COVID-19 vaccines to vulnerable patients – such as those in residential aged care, disability facilities, or patients who are house-bound – received a ‘flag fall’ Site Visit payment of $127.30. This fee will discontinue after 30 June 2025.

Pharmacists can continue providing off-site vaccination services to these patients, claiming the $20.05 administration fee by lodging a CVCP service claim through the Pharmacy Programs Administrator (PPA) Portal.

A one-month grace period has been granted to pharmacists for submitting claims for services delivered on or before 30 June 2025. Any claims submitted after 31 July 2025 will not be accepted.

In some good news, pharmacists no longer need to notify the PPA before delivering off-site vaccination services. Radius restrictions have also been removed, so there’s no need to consider the distance between the off-site location and the pharmacy premises.

4. The COVID-19 ordering process will remain in place, for now

At this stage, COVID-19 vaccines are still managed by the Commonwealth – meaning vaccines will still need to be distributed through the COVID-19 Vaccine Ordering System (CVAS). However, these arrangements have only been funded until 30 June 2026 – with details on future arrangement yet to come.

5. There will only be one MMR vaccine manufacturer on the NIP

Pharmacists can currently order multiple brands of Measles Mumps Rubella (MMR) vaccines under the NIP – including GSK’s Priorix, Priorix-Textra and Varilrix and CSL’s M-M-R II or Varivax. 

From 1 July 2025, , community pharmacists and other immunisation providers will no longer be able to order CSL’s M-M-R II or Varivax. 

New NIP MMR orders can only be placed for GSK’s Priorix, Priorix-Tetra and Varilrix. 

Pharmacists should continue to administer any existing CSL MMR NIP vaccine stock until exhausted or the expiry date is reached.

6. More Victorian pharmacists can administer travel vaccines, permanently

The Victorian Community Pharmacist Statewide Pilot is going permanent and expanding its services on July 1, 2025. That means, eligible pharmacists will be able to administer the following travel vaccines in an ongoing capacity:

• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Typhoid
• Poliomyelitis.

Pharmacists will administer these vaccines privately, except where NIP eligibility applies, said PSA Victorian State Manager Jarrod McMaugh MPS.

‘The funded $20 consultation fee [for travel health] will remain, and pharmacists can charge an additional fee at their discretion,’ he said. ‘However, medicines will no longer be subsidised under the program.’

There were 800 participating pharmacies in the Victorian Community Pharmacist Statewide Pilot. Now, the program will extend to other pharmacies Victoria-wide, Mr McMaugh said.

‘Pharmacists can submit an Expression of Interest to join the program.’

The EOI form is available on the Victorian Department of Health website.