How fast is the bulk-billing rate falling? And does it even matter?
Different bulk-billing rates have been thrown around.
Looking through the media coverage this month, the GP bulk-billing rate was 35%, 46% and 66%, all at the same time.
In fact, all the numbers trying to capture the extent of Mark Butler’s Medicare crisis could all be right simultaneously if the methodology is explained, which probably demonstrates the pointlessness of obsessing over the true bulk-billing rate.
The number that dominated the headlines and the RACGP’s media releases was from Cleanbill, a website that has published GPs’ fees since 2017.
It gets contractors to call practices and ask them whether a new (non-concession card holding) patient will be bulk-billed.
