General information
This guide is general information, not personal medical advice, and may change over time. Always check anything that affects you with your pharmacist or GP. In an emergency, call 000.
The National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) is a federal programme that subsidises blood glucose test strips, continuous glucose monitor (CGM) sensors, insulin pump consumables, ketone strips, and other diabetes products for registered Australians. Most community pharmacies are NDSS Access Points, which means you can collect your subsidised supplies at the counter the same way you collect a prescription. Registration is free and the discount is significant: a box of strips that retails at $30 to $60 costs around $11 to $14 with NDSS subsidy. For the wider picture of how community pharmacies support ongoing conditions, see our medication management pillar guide.
Key facts
- The NDSS is a federal scheme subsidising diabetes consumables for over 1.5 million registered Australians.
- Registration is free; a signed form from a GP, CDE, endocrinologist, or diabetes nurse practitioner is required.
- A box of test strips that retails at $30 to $60 costs around $11 to $14 with NDSS subsidy.
- Insulin is on the PBS, not the NDSS; consumables (strips, CGM, pump kit) sit on the NDSS.
- From 1 July 2022, NDSS CGM subsidy expanded to all adults with type 1 diabetes.
You need to be registered with the NDSS to access subsidised products. Insulin itself is not on the NDSS; it sits on the PBS.
What the NDSS is
The NDSS is funded by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and administered by Diabetes Australia. It started in 1987 and supplies subsidised products to more than 1.5 million registered Australians.
The scheme covers people with type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes, and other forms of diabetes (cystic fibrosis-related, post-pancreatectomy, and similar). Eligibility is based on a confirmed diabetes diagnosis from your GP, endocrinologist, or credentialled diabetes educator.
The official site is ndss.com.au. Diabetes Australia's broader resources sit at diabetesaustralia.com.au.
What's subsidised
The NDSS covers four main product groups:
- Blood glucose test strips. Subsidised for all registered Australians who use them. The strip range covers most major meters.
- CGM sensors and transmitters. Subsidised for eligible groups; the 1 July 2022 expansion broadened access significantly (see below).
- Insulin pump consumables. Infusion sets, reservoirs, and similar disposables. Subsidised for people using an insulin pump.
- Urine ketone strips. Subsidised for people with type 1 diabetes and other groups at risk of ketoacidosis.
Insulin syringes and pen needles are also subsidised under the NDSS. Some products require a category-specific registration: for example, CGM and insulin pump consumables require additional NDSS forms confirming you meet the clinical criteria, signed off by your prescriber.
What the NDSS does not cover: insulin itself (that is on the PBS), most oral diabetes medicines (also PBS), and lifestyle items like diabetes-specific food or supplements.
How to register
Registration is free. You need a signed NDSS registration form, which any of these can complete with you:
- A GP
- A credentialled diabetes educator (CDE)
- An endocrinologist
- A diabetes nurse practitioner
You submit the completed form by:
- Asking your pharmacy to register you on the spot (most NDSS Access Points do this)
- Posting it to the NDSS
- Calling the NDSS Helpline on 1800 637 700 for support
Once registered you receive an NDSS card. You bring this card, plus your Medicare card, when you collect supplies. Some pharmacies look you up by Medicare number alone after the first visit.
There is no income test. The subsidy is the same for everyone registered, regardless of concession status, though concession card holders pay a lower rate on top of the NDSS subsidy.
The 1 July 2022 CGM subsidy expansion
On 1 July 2022 the federal government expanded NDSS subsidies for continuous glucose monitors. Before the change, only specific groups (children with type 1 diabetes, pregnant women with type 1, and people meeting strict hardship criteria) had fully subsidised CGM access. From 1 July 2022 the subsidy was broadened to all people with type 1 diabetes regardless of income.
The expansion does not cover everyone with diabetes. Eligibility still depends on diabetes type, clinical assessment, and a prescription from your endocrinologist or diabetes specialist. Your GP cannot self-certify CGM eligibility.
For the current eligibility rules and what each subsidised product costs, the official source is ndss.com.au/products/continuous-glucose-monitoring. Diabetes Australia keeps a plain-English summary at diabetesaustralia.com.au.
If you currently pay full price for CGM and you have type 1 diabetes, ask your endocrinologist whether the 1 July 2022 changes apply to you. The forms can be lodged through your pharmacy once signed.
Finding an NDSS Access Point
Most Australian community pharmacies are NDSS Access Points. The official locator is at ndss.com.au/about-the-ndss/find-an-access-point and lets you search by suburb or postcode.
In remote areas, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services and some clinics also act as Access Points. The locator covers all of these.
An Access Point holds NDSS stock and processes the subsidy at the till. A pharmacy that is not an Access Point cannot supply NDSS products at the subsidised price, even if it can order them in at private rates.
NDSS vs PBS for diabetes medicines
People often confuse the two schemes. They sit side by side:
| Scheme | What it covers | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| NDSS | Diabetes consumables | Test strips, CGM sensors, pump consumables, ketone strips, pen needles, insulin syringes |
| PBS | Diabetes medicines | Insulin, oral diabetes medicines, injectable non-insulin diabetes medicines |
A single pharmacy visit might involve both: you collect a PBS-subsidised insulin prescription and a box of NDSS-subsidised test strips at the same counter, paying two separate prices to two separate schemes.
If you have a PBS Safety Net card, that affects only the PBS side. NDSS pricing is the same regardless of Safety Net status.
Renewal and updates
Registration is generally for life once you are on the scheme, but some products require periodic re-certification:
- CGM and insulin pump consumables: clinical review usually required every 12 months or as set by your specialist
- Address and contact updates: do this through the NDSS Helpline 1800 637 700 or via the online portal
- Change of diabetes type (for example, type 2 progressing to insulin requiring): your prescriber updates your record so the right products are subsidised
If you stop using a category of product, you do not need to deregister. You simply stop collecting.
Talk to someone now
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Frequently asked questions
Ask your GP, endocrinologist, or credentialled diabetes educator to complete an NDSS registration form. Take the form to any NDSS Access Point pharmacy or post it to the NDSS. Registration is free. Once registered you can collect subsidised supplies straight away.
