Bulk-billing rate drops to 72% for face-to-face level B consults

However, total claims for item 23 continued to rise year-on-year.

The bulk-billing rate for the standard face-to-face GP consult has fallen from 80% to 72% in a year, show data from the Department of Health and Aged Care.

It means GPs bulk-billed a million fewer item 23 consults in 2022/23 compared with 2021/22.