Universal bulk-billing incentive risks ‘tearing GP practices apart’
To get the loading payment, all GPs at a practice must universally bulk-bill certain MBS items.
Payments tied to practice-wide universal bulk-billing risk setting GPs “at one another’s throats”, a prominent GP warns.
The upcoming 12.5% loading payment if GPs at a practice universally bulk-bill key MBS items could tear practices apart, according to former RACGP vice-president Dr Bruce Willett.
“I think the only antidote to that is prolonged communication,” he told the RACGP practice owners’ conference in Melbourne on Saturday.
“There are lots of different ways of solving the problems, perhaps even splitting the practice in some way.
