Australian Bulk-Billing Rates Rise as GP Incentives Take Hold, New Report Shows

Nearly two-thirds of Australians now have all their general practice care fully covered by Medicare, marking a significant rebound following targeted federal funding incentives for doctors.

According to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) annual health of the nation report, set for publication on Wednesday, 63% of Australians are now bulk-billed for all their GP care. That figure is up from 56% recorded in both 2024 and 2025. The report notes that the shift is “likely a reflection of the federal government’s recent investment in Medicare bulk billing incentives.”

The study surveyed 2,766 general practitioners across the country. Among those surveyed, 26% of GPs reported bulk-billing every single one of their patients, more than double the 12% recorded in 2025.

The policy shift follows financial measures introduced in November, which offered extra bonuses to clinics that bulk-bill all eligible services for Medicare patients. Participating practices receive a 12.5% top-up payment, which is split directly between the clinic and the doctor.

The cost barrier for patients also appears to be easing. Drawing on Australian Bureau of Statistics data, the report highlighted that the proportion of Australians who delayed seeing a GP due to cost dropped from 8.8% in 2023-24 to 7.7% in 2024–25.

Rebound Remains Below Pre-Pandemic Levels

Despite the recent gains, fully bulk-billed care remains below 2019 levels, when 70% of patients faced no out-of-pocket costs.

RACGP president Dr Michael Wright described the latest findings as a sign of “greater affordability across the healthcare system.”

“For those patients who have a preferred GP, more than two-in-three were always able to see them when needed,” Dr Wright said. “These are positive outcomes and show that when governments invest in general practice, patients benefit. Funding gets results.”

Health economists, however, urge caution when interpreting the data. Dr Luke Slawomirski, a health economist with the Australia Institute, noted that the survey captures roughly 7% of the total GP workforce and urged analysts to distinguish doctor-reported experiences from administrative data and health outcomes.

While separate Medicare administrative data shows that 81% of total GP consultations were bulk-billed in 2025–26—up from 78% the year prior—Dr Slawomirski pointed out that Medicare tracks the total number of services billed, rather than individual patients who incur zero costs.

Calls for Broader System Reform

Both medical leaders and economists emphasize that financial metrics alone don’t guarantee a healthy system. Dr Wright acknowledged that “we can’t measure success solely by bulk-billing rates,” warning that regional inequities could widen if patients continue facing steep out-of-pocket costs for complex conditions.

To address this, the RACGP is urging the federal government to raise Medicare rebates for longer consultations and create an independent primary care pricing authority to align funding with the actual costs of care.

Dr Slawomirski believes reforms must push even further. Citing findings from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, which estimated that potentially preventable hospitalisations cost the economy $7.7bn in 2023–24, he argued that shifting away from fee-for-service models toward blended funding and multidisciplinary teams would better reward practitioners for keeping patients healthy.