'We're back to 2010 rebates': GPs react to incentive cuts
Many doctors in outer metro areas say the change will impact the viability of their practices
2nd September 2019
Some GPs say they will lose more than $20,000 in Medicare revenue a year under looming cuts to rural bulk-billing incentives.
The Department of Health is planning to retire the decades-old map it uses to determine which GPs can access rural incentives and replace it with a new classification system.
As a result, from January, some 2000 GPs will gain access to the $9.65 rural bulk-billing incentive for the first time.
But around 7000 GPs in places like Townsville, Newcastle and the outskirts of capital cities will see their incentives reduced from $9.65 to