Questions over how many metropolitan general practice doctors will take up bulk billing or reduce the Medicare out-of-pocket payment gap remain unanswered, despite professional and consumer groups enthusiastically welcoming the $3.5 billion package to lift bulk-billing doctor visits.
The 2023-24 budget revealed doctors will be paid three times as much to bulk bill up to 11.6 million families with young children, pensioners and concession cardholders. But pushed on how many doctors would now offer bulk billing Treasurer Jim Chalmers declined to give any specific number, simply answering that it would “happen more frequently because of our policies.”
Health minister Mark Butler also resisted giving any quantification of the effect of the multibillion-dollar package.He noted the Royal Australian College of GPs had described the broader $5.7 billion funding package as a “game changer” for GPs, practice teams and the patients. But later asked on ABC News TV what percentage of the 11.6 million patients eligible for the incentives would be able to find a bulk billing practice Butler expressed hope doctors would now start to bulk bill.“If they choose to take up bulk billing of those patients, this is going to be a big financial injection into their practice.”