The expanded bulk-billing incentive program is a big change and it’s going to take some time for GPs to understand if and how the proposed program will work for our practices and our patients – and if we participate.

In announcing the package, the Government provided the table below to assist GPs consider how it might work for them. The Government has advised that official Medicare billing data shows the package’s combined investment indicates around 4,800 practices will be in a better financial position if they adopt full bulk billing. On average, these practices will receive approximately $350,000 a year in additional Medicare payments, ranging from $90,000 for a small metro practice to $1.2 million for a large metro GP practice.

 

Common GP visits	Current Medicare rebate	New total Medicare payment at a Bulk Billing Practice*
		Cities & metro areas	Regional centre	Large & medium rural towns	Small rural town	Remote
Standard consultation 6 to <20 minutes (Level B)	$42.85	$69.56 (up 62%)	$80.71 (up 88%)	$82.71 (up 93%)	$84.86 (up 98%)	$86.91 (up 103%)
Long consultation 20 to <40 minutes (Level C)	$82.90	$114.61 (up 38%)	$125.76 (up 52%)	$127.76 (up 54%)	$129.91 (up 57%)	$131.96 (up 59%)
Longer consultation 40 to <60 minutes (Level D)	$122.15	$158.77 (up 30%)	$169.92 (up 39%)	$171.92 (up 41%)	$174.07 (up 43%)	$176.12 (up 44%)
Mental Health Plan 20 to <40 minutes	$81.70	$99.06 (up 21%)	$102.71 (up 26%)	$103.36 (up 27%)	$104.11 (up 27%)	$104.76 (up 28%)

* Totals include item Medicare rebate, Bulk Billing Incentive item rebate, and 12.5% Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program payment.

Yes. The Federal Opposition Leader has committed to implementing the same funding package. In addition to this funding, the Federal Opposition has also committed to increasing the number of Better Access sessions eligible to be bulk billed.

The RACGP did not ask for funding to be allocated in this way. We have always said additional investment should be directed at increasing patient rebates, particularly for longer consultations, and we will continue to do so.  

The RACGPs election platform was launched at Parliament House in early February. You can read it here.

It includes 19 initiatives focused on ensuring the financial sustainability of general practice as well as attracting and training more GPs. Our key initiatives are:

• A 40% rebate for all Level C and D consultations
• 25% rebate increases for Mental Health MBS items
• Train 1500 more GPs to build the future workforce

To date, both the Government and the Opposition have committed to funding six of our 19 election asks including significant workforce initiatives that will support the growth of the GP workforce into the future. These initiatives include:

• $265.2 million to expand GP training, with an extra 200 training places per year from 2026, increasing to an extra 400 places per year from 2028
• $204.8 million for salary incentives for junior doctors to specialise in general practice
• $43.9 million to provide paid parental leave and study leave for trainee GPs
• $44.0 million for an extra 200 rotations for junior doctors in primary health care per year from 2026, increasing to an extra 400 per year from 2028
• $48.4 million for an extra 100 Commonwealth Supported Places for medical students per year from 2026, increasing to 150 per year by 2028, and demand driven places for First Nations students to study medicine

The RACGP will continue to represent members interests, including negotiating with whoever forms government after the coming election on the finer implementation details of this policy.

We have informed representatives of both major political parties that we do not think this package will lead to the increase in bulk billing that they are claiming and that our members are concerned that if they return to bulk billing they are at risk of future Medicare freezes/government control of fees.

We will continue to work with both parties and who ever forms government after the election, to make sure this policy allows GPs to provide the best possible care for their communities regardless of whether they are in North Sydney or Alice Springs.

Practices that choose to participate in the Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program will receive an additional 12.5% payment on every $1 of Medicare Benefits Scheme benefit claimed for GP Non-Referred Attendances (GP NRA).

The Department of Health advises that to participate in the Program, a GP practice must:

• commit to bulk bill all GP NRA services
• advertise their participation in the Program
• be registered with MyMedicare (accreditation requirements will be waived for practices joining the program).

The Department further advises that participating practices will be expected to advertise as fully bulk billing on Healthdirect’s National Health Services Directory and will be supported with marketing materials to identify their participation in the Program.

Yes. The RACGP has confirmed with the Government that the Bulk Billing Incentive items for all Australians are indexed as per the current arrangements.

This will occur on 1 July each year. In the 2023–24 Federal Budget, alongside tripling the bulk billing incentive for concession card holders and under 16s the Government provided an additional $1.5 billion into indexation and changed the indexation formula. 

The 12.5% Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Payment is a 12.5% payment on MBS benefits paid. The items that count towards the 12.5% are indexed as per the arrangements above, so the 12.5% will be applied to an indexed group of MBS benefits. This will see the dollar value of the 12.5% increase each year.
 

No. The Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program is available to practices where all GPs bulk bill all GP NRA services and meet the requirements outlined above.

The Government has advised that the payment split will be determined in consultation with the sector.

No. Practices can also choose to opt-in and opt-out if they choose to do so. 

RACGP continues to support full autonomy for practices to set their own billing policies.

Yes. It will be paid based on all MBS Benefit Scheme benefits claimed for GP Non-Referred Attendances.

No. It is up to individual practices to make a decision about participating. The RACGP will always support billing autonomy for individual practices, especially in an environment where existing rebates do not come close to representing the true cost of delivering care.

The incentives will be paid on all eligible billings in the previous quarter with the first payments to commence in the first quarter of 2026.

Only GP Non-Referred Attendances are required to be bulk billed to be eligible for the Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program. This means that procedures such as Implanon insertion or skin lesion excisions do not need to be bulk-billed. It also does not apply for care provided where there is no MBS item number such as iron infusions.

Yes. You will be able to claim the bulk billing incentive items for any patient you bulk bill.

The RACGP is currently seeking advice on this question.

We have been advised that from November 1, GPs will be able to claim bulk-billing incentive items when why bulk- bill any Medicare-eligible patient.  There are no changes to the items that the triple bulk-billing incentive applies to. Bulk billing incentives, both the triple and the original single incentives, will apply to the same items that they apply to now.

Consultation items, health assessment and chronic disease management (CDM) items are included in the practice incentive payment.  

We have informed representatives of both major political parties that we do not think this package will lead to the increase in bulk-billing that has been promised. 

We have developed resources to help manage patient expectations and health literacy. [Posters are available here)

The department has advised that to participate in the bulk-billing practice incentive payments, practices need to fully bulk-bill all eligible services. 

They need to advertise their participation, and be registered with My Medicare.