Medicare boost: Costs 'too great' for some GPs to reintroduce bulk billing despite Medicare boost
A landmark bipartisan pledge to ensure nine in 10 visits to the doctor will be free within the decade is not a silver bullet for all GPs, the body representing doctors says.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese unveiled his government’s centrepiece election promise with the unprecedented $8.5 billion boost to Medicare to arrest the decline of bulk billing.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton matched the pledge with a $9 billion investment in Medicare, including an already announced $500 million plan to boost mental health.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.While funds will ensure the sustainability of free health care and potentially reverse out-of-pocket GP charges, Australian Medical Association president Danielle McMullen said not all general practices would return to universal bulk billing.
“In some areas, the cost of providing care will still be too great,” Dr McMullen said.
“It is quite difficult to see how it will make a huge increase in some of our central metropolitan areas.”
Dr McMullen said the $20 bulk billing incentive would not cover the average out-of-pocket cost of more than $40 in some metropolitan centres and better-off suburbs.
The bipartisan pledge has been met with near-universal praise.
The peak body for general practice providers said patients would get hip pocket relief, existing practices would remain viable and practices would be able to open in under-serviced areas.
“This funding will mean more practices will remain open, more doctors will choose to be GPs (and) more GPs will choose to work in disadvantaged areas,” Primary Care Business Council president Ged Foley said.
Regional GP services provider Hamish Meldrum said the funding would replenish GP healthcare deserts in regional and remote communities.
The Health Services Union said the plan would make an immediate difference for all Australians.
Australia’s bulk-billing rate plummeted to 20.7 per cent at the start of 2025, down from 35.7 per cent two years earlier, according to data released by healthcare directory Cleanbill in January.
Under Labor’s plan, every GP practice will be offered a new incentive payment to bulk bill, providing about 4800 practices across Australia the security to keep all visits free, Mr Albanese said.
Health Minister Mark Butler said the modelling showed there would be 20 million additional free visits to the doctor.
A GP training program to start in 2026 will deliver another 2000 new GPs annually, and 400 new scholarships for nurses and midwives will be created.
The pledges signal a ramping up of promises ahead of a national election due by May 17.
