Half of GP practices now universally bulk-billing, Mark Butler says
Mark Butler says 3700 GP practices have already signed up for universal bulk-billing, exceeding the government’s forecast of 3600 by 2028/29.
The Federal Government is two years ahead of schedule with its target number for fully bulk-billing GP practices, says Minister for Health and Ageing Mark Butler.
Mr Butler says 3700 GP practices have signed up for universal bulk-billing, exceeding the government’s forecast of 3600 by 2028/29 and up 2100 since bulk-billing incentives for non-concessional patients were tripled in November.
The figures are based on sign-ups to the Bulk-Billing Practice Incentive Program: a 12.5% loading payment on key Medicare rebates for fully bulk-billing practices.
“We projected that we’d have 3600 GP practices — about half of the total general practices in the country — bulk-billing by 2028, and we’ve already exceeded that,” Mr Butler said on Friday.
