Tripled bulk-billing incentives ‘great for GP morale’
Last night’s federal budget received an unusually warm welcome from GP groups, with the RACGP declaring it a “gamechanger” for general practice. The headline was…
Tag: Bulk-billing
How fast is the bulk-billing rate falling? And does it even matter?
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…
GPs in the real world underbill more than they overservice, saving taxpayers $350m a year
Australia’s Medicare billing system is overly complicated, bureaucratic and not meeting the needs of a modern health service, potentially leaking billions of dollars. But claims…
What if Medicare was restricted to GPs who bulk-billed? This kind of reform is possible
Australia’s health system is under significant pressure. The Labor Government has inherited a system with declining bulk-billing rates for GP visits. These fell from almost…
‘I’m treading water’: GP to close well-known clinic to avoid financial loss
The founder of a well-known Canberra general practice originally set up to treat HIV patients says she has tried everything to remain open, but the…
Not every GP can walk away from bulk-billing – here is my story
GPs are abandoning bulk-billing, walking away from a system that has underfunded the work we’ve done for generations. I don’t object to what is happening.…
One third of GP practices have ditched universal bulk-billing since 2018, survey suggests
A survey of GP practices suggests around a third of those who where offering universal bulk-billing four years ago are now mixed-billing their patients. The…
Gap fees for DVA card holders ‘a concerning trend’: RSL
GPs are increasingly ditching bulk-billing for veterans, says the RSL, which places the blame on inadequate rebates from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. Last month, a group of three GP practices in…
‘Bulk-billing is untenable’: 53% of GP practices planning fee hikes
More than half of GP practices plan to reduce bulk-billing and increase gap fees this year, according to the Commonwealth Bank’s annual report on general…
GPs will be extinct by the time I retire — so who will provide my healthcare?
They say you should never kick a person when they’re down. However, this seems to carry no weight when the person down is an entire…
