Govt launches cash calculator for GPs to see if universal bulk-billing is worthwhile
The department says the average metropolitan, universal bulk-billing GP will take home $404,000 a year under the reforms.
The Federal Government has launched a web calculator to estimate GPs’ Medicare earnings should they take up universal bulk-billing in November.
From 1 November, bulk-billing incentives for non-concessional patients will triple, and practices where every GP universally bulk-bills the main GP Medicare items will receive a 12.5% loading on these rebates, split 50-50 between GPs and practice owners.
On Monday, Minister for Health and Ageing Mark Butler said a new calculator would give GPs tailored and more accurate estimates of their earnings under this regime.
“What we’ll see through this calculator is a fully bulk-billing GP will be better off, by and large, than a GP who does the average amount of mixed billing,” he said.
