News

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Government continues bulk billing push

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The Federal Government continues to spruik its $7.9 billion plan to boost bulk billing across the country, releasing further detail and modelling on the new arrangements for GPs and practices.
 
The Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program, launching on 1 November, will provide bulk-billing incentive items as well as a 12.5% loading payment on every dollar of Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) benefit earned, split evenly between the GPs and practices.
 
The controversial loading split was branded ‘disappointing’ by the RACGP and sparked an online backlash from many doctors who claim it favours larger corporate practices.
 
Amid the fall-out, the Government issued guidance last week with further detail as well as examples of the types of practices that would benefit from moving to fully bulk-billed services.
 
It also outlined a requirement for participating practices to market their participation in the new program.
 
‘Participating practices will be expected to advertise as fully bulk billing on Healthdirect’s National Health Services Directory and will be supported with marketing materials to identify their participation in the Program,’ the guide states.
 
Practices that take part will need to:
 

• commit to bulk bill all general practice non-referred attendance (GP NRA) services
• advertise their participation in the program
• be registered with MyMedicare (accreditation requirements will be waived for practices joining the program).

 
The guidance also explains that GPs will be able to claim bulk-billing incentive items for any patient they bulk bill, regardless of whether their practice joins the program.
 
However, for those taking part in the Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program, ‘all GPs at a participating clinic must bulk bill all applicable services for all patients’.
 
All GP NRA services must be bulk billed for all patients, including most time-tiered consultation items, health assessments, mental health treatment plans and chronic disease management items, the factsheet states.
 
Services that don’t fall within this category, such as some procedural items, won’t be subject to the bulk-billing requirement.

Payments to GPs and practices will be made quarterly, in arrears, beginning in early 2026.
 
The incentive payment, which will split evenly between practices and GPs, will involve one portion being paid directly to the GP and the other going to their associated clinic. Bulk-billing incentive benefits will continue to be paid directly to the GP.
 
The guidance also explained payments will be automated.
 
‘Services Australia will monitor your practice’s adherence to the bulk-billing requirement and will provide payment based on information in the system.’
 
Selling the benefits of its program, the Government guide provides case studies on the types of practices that can benefit from moving to fully bulk-billing eligible services.
 
This includes a large general practice in a major city providing around 40,000 GP services a year and bulk billing around 78% of services. It received $2.4 million from MBS benefits and an additional $260,000 in patient charges in the previous year.
 
‘If the practice and its GPs participate in the Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program they will receive $575,000 in additional revenue from bulk-billing and practice incentives,’ the guide said.
 
‘After covering the $260,000 shortfall from no longer charging patients, the practice and its GPs are $315,000 a year better off – with additional revenue now available to grow its team, upgrade its facilities and expand its services.’
 
In the second example, a medium-sized bulk-billing practice based in a large rural town provides around 20,000 GP services. Doctors at the practice have found it increasingly difficult to provide high-quality care, with some considering leaving to work at nearby mixed-billing clinics.

Last year, it received $1.4 million from MBS benefits, however if the practice and its GPs participate in the Bulk Billing Incentive Program, they will receive $310,000 in additional revenue and practice incentives. 'This will ensure the practice and GPs remain able to bulk bill every patient', with additional revenue to support growth, facilities and services.

A small mixed billing practice example involves a clinic in a major city providing around 6000 GP services a year and bulk billing 79% of services. Last year, the practice received around $410,000 from MBS benefits and an additional $41,000 in patient charges.
 
The example outlined that participating in the program would result in around $97,000 in additional revenue from bulk-billing and practice incentives.

RACGP President Dr Michael Wright reiterated that the bulk-billing incentive program will not be viable for all GPs and practices.
 
‘The college will continue to support all GPs, regardless of whether they take up the current incentives, and continue to fight for increased Medicare rebates, particularly for longer consultations,’ he told newsGP.
 
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bulk billing bulk-billing incentives loading payment Medicare

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