RACGP Warns Medical Costs Overhaul Could Hit GPs and Patients
02 Apr 2026
While supporting transparency, the college says the current plan could create misleading comparisons, change billing behaviour in unintended ways, and threaten the financial sustainability of general practice.
The proposed laws would allow the publication of GP fee and billing data from administrative datasets, but without important context such as consultation length, case complexity, preventive care, patient demographics, or multiple health conditions. The RACGP warns this could put extra pressure on small, community-based practices and affect access to care, especially for disadvantaged patients.
The college has recommended:
- Including clinical and service context in any published data.
- Showing patient demographics, location, and policy settings, and limiting bulk-billing publication.
- Deferring publication of GP fees until evidence gaps are addressed and safeguards are in place.
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing says there are currently no plans to include individual GP fees in upgrades to the Medical Costs Finder.
The final report on the legislation is expected by 15 April 2026.
https://www1.racgp.org.au/
Source: RACGP