Trips to the doctor just got cheaper thanks to $7.9 billion overhaul

Many Australians now person entree to cheaper visits to nan doctor, aft a $7.9 cardinal overhaul of nan bulk billing strategy came into effect.

But not everyone gets to use from correct away, pinch nan government projecting it will return years for astir GP practices to motion connected to nan scheme.

So what's really changed, and what does it mean for you? This is what you request to know.

What has changed for bulk billing incentives?

Under nan erstwhile system, nan national authorities incentivised doctors to supply bulk-billed consultations to children nether 16 aliases patients who person a Commonwealth concession card.

However, from Saturday, November 1, nan strategy has been expanded truthful nan inducement now covers anyone pinch a Medicare card.

The authorities has besides introduced nan Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program (BBPIP) – an other 12.5 per cent inducement costs to beryllium divided betwixt doctors and practices that motion up for nan program.

Why person these changes been made?

While it was partially a governmental move from nan Labor authorities aimed astatine exploiting a perceived weakness of then-opposition leader Peter Dutton owed to his stint arsenic wellness minister, it's besides aimed astatine addressing nan declining bulk billing rate.

In 2020, nan fig was sitting astatine a grounds precocious of 89 per cent. In 2024, it had fallen to 78 per cent (admittedly up fractionally from 77 per cent nan twelvemonth before).

The authorities says nan overhaul will thrust nan bulk billing complaint up to 90 per cent by 2030.

So does this mean free GP visits for (almost) everyone?

That's nan thought – nan authorities wants arsenic galore Australians arsenic imaginable to entree free expert appointments. 

In practice, it's going to return a while for GPs crossed nan state to motion connected to nan caller scheme, although nan authorities insists it's happy pinch nan uptake truthful far.

A fewer days retired from its introduction, much than 1000 practices had indicated they would move to afloat bulk billing from November 1.

To deed its 90 per cent bulk billing complaint target, nan authorities successful February said it needs 4800 practices connected committee (although astir 1600 were already afloat bulk billing earlier nan changes came into effect).

That leaves a shortfall of astir 2200 to adjacent complete nan adjacent fewer years.

Health Minister Mark Butler is confident, though, that much providers are going to join.

"They're going done those numbers, evidently making their ain appraisal astir whether nan believe will beryllium amended disconnected and whether wide practitioners, nan GPs that activity successful their practice, will beryllium amended off," he told reporters nan Monday earlier nan strategy started. 

"Already a mates of 1000 of them person indicated that they're going to do that.

"Now, a number of them are already bulk-billing practices but… almost a 1000 of them are practices that this week are charging spread fees, but they've indicated adjacent week they'll beryllium afloat bulk billing. 

"I expect location to beryllium a important number of practices that make that aforesaid connection to america complete nan people of this week earlier Saturday arsenic well."

He besides said he expects nan numbers to emergence complete nan coming years and that he was "delighted" astatine nan first level of support.

What does it mean for doctors?

GPs weren't peculiarly happy pinch nan 12.5 per cent BBPIP costs being divided betwixt doctors and practices, claiming it favours larger firm clinics and could beryllium a obstruction to immoderate providers signing up.

However, nan authorities says doctors will beryllium financially acold amended disconnected nether nan caller system.

"Two years ago, a full-time, afloat bulk-billing GP would person been earning astir $280,000 a twelvemonth aft they paid their believe costs," Butler said. 

"From this weekend, they'll beryllium earning $405,000 a year, a $125,000 increase. 

"This finance is evidently bully for nan Medicare system, bully for patients, but it's besides bully for GPs themselves."

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