Government to Step In if Bulk-Billing Rates Don’t Improve
30 Oct 2025
Health Minister Mark Butler says the government is prepared to fund new fully bulk-billing practices in areas where rates are low, ensuring patients can access affordable care.
Ahead of the launch of the Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program (BBPIP) on Saturday, Minister Butler told the ABC that Canberra, where bulk-billing rates have historically been low, could see government-backed clinics opening to boost access. “We’re going to intervene in the market,” he said. Similar measures could be rolled out in other regions struggling with low bulk-billing rates, including Newcastle and the Hunter Valley.
The program, set to start on 1 November, has already seen interest from clinics planning to switch to full bulk-billing. Government modelling predicts more than 4,800 clinics will join by 2028–29, with the ultimate goal of nearly 88% of GP services being bulk-billed.
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said the program represents the biggest Medicare funding boost in years and will help many GPs and their patients, particularly in regional areas. However, he noted that some doctors remain cautious due to past underfunding and ongoing concerns about long-term certainty.
Source: ABC, newsGP