News

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What does the RACGP want from the Federal Budget?

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One week out from the Federal Budget’s release and the RACGP is ramping up its calls for funding to be allocated to Medicare-funded child health checks, as well as a significant boost to rebates.
 
The RACGP has outlined its funding calls ahead of the 2026–27 Federal Budget, which will be handed down on 12 May.
 
Its wish list includes:

• a 40% increase to all Medicare rebates for Level C and Level D GP consultations
• Thriving Kids transitional funding
• independent and transparent pricing in primary care
• affordable iron deficiency treatment in general practice
• strengthening the rural workforce and building multidisciplinary care teams
• research-informed preventive health and healthcare
• funding to address the health impacts of racism in the healthcare system.

Specifically, the RACGP is calling for a $20 million Federal Government investment over 2026–27 and $160.4 million over four years to fund ‘proactive and comprehensive’ developmental checks for every child to have a free, one-hour annual health check until the age of five with their regular GP.
 
The college says the initiative will support identification of developmental concerns, provide support with developmental delay and disability, and enable children to receive timely support through the Thriving Kids program.
 
‘Funding for health assessments, conducted by a child’s regular GP as part of a multidisciplinary team in general practice, will ensure high-quality, patient-centred care is available to all families,’ the RACGP Pre-Budget submission states.
 
Thriving Kids is one initiative aimed at taking pressure off the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) by providing foundational support for children aged eight and under with mild-to-moderate developmental delays or autism, bridging the gap before they reach high-level needs.
 
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said extending MBS health assessment items to support children’s annual developmental checks will benefit all children, and will strengthen, but is not limited to, the incoming Thriving Kids reforms.
 
‘Appropriately funded comprehensive health checks every year would allow GPs to identify developmental delay and conditions like autism spectrum disorder earlier, but this investment would help all children to thrive,’ he said.
 
‘The first 2000 days of a child’s life shape their future. Specialist GPs are uniquely placed to identify developmental concerns early, support families, and coordinate care, but they need the right tools and funding to do it effectively.
 
‘This investment will ensure children get the support they need at the right time, rather than waiting until challenges become harder and more costly to address.’
 
The RACGP’s Pre-Budget submission states ‘critical’ long-term health and social outcomes will be seen through appropriate supports for the first 2000 days of a child’s life.
 
‘Children who receive support early are more likely to engage positively in school, reducing the need for more costly additional educational or healthcare interventions in the future,’ it says.
 
While the RACGP acknowledges GPs frequently refer families to allied health providers and collaborate with early childhood education settings, it notes that fragmented referral pathways and limited-service availability often delay support.
 
It says the initiative would continue to be a collaborative model between GPs, practice nurses and child health nurses, as well as allied health and other specialty teams where necessary.
 
The RACGP is also urging a 40% increase to all Medicare rebates for Level C (20– 40 minutes) and Level D (40-minutes plus) GP consultations.
 
It says this will generate $338.9 million in savings annually to the healthcare system through lower costs and improved access to primary care, including ‘reduced GP costs, improved access to GPs, more cost-effective care and improved long-term health outcomes’.
 
The RACGP also wants to see $13 million spent on the introduction of an independent primary care pricing authority, and $40.8 million spent on a new Medicare rebate for iron infusions and related consultations for those experiencing chronic and clinical iron deficiency.
 
It wants an increase to supervisor payments through the National Consistent Payment framework, and a doubling of the additional investment in the Workforce Incentive Program – Practice Stream.
 
Finally, the RACGP is urging money to establish a national practice-based research network via Medical Research Future Fund, and $500,000 to develop a tool for monitoring and measuring racism in general practice and primary healthcare.
 
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child health assessment children’s health Federal Budget general practice funding Medicare funding Medicare rebates RACGP advocacy

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