Nearly two-thirds of Australians now bulk-billed for all GP visits as incentives take effect

The share of general practitioners who bulk-bill all of their patients has more than doubled in a year, according to a new report, following federal financial incentives for doctors and practices.

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) annual health of the nation report, due to be published on Wednesday, found that 63% of Australians are now bulk-billed for all of their GP care. That is up from 56% in both 2024 and 2025. The report says the rise is "likely a reflection of the federal government's recent investment in Medicare bulk billing incentives".

The findings draw on a survey of 2,766 GPs. Among those respondents, 26% said they bulk-bill all of their patients, compared with 12% in 2025. In November, the government introduced extra bonuses for practices that bulk-bill all eligible services for all Medicare patients. Those clinics receive an additional 12.5% top-up payment, shared between the practice and the doctor.

Even so, the proportion of patients bulk-billed for all GP care remains below the 70% recorded in 2019. The report also used Australian Bureau of Statistics data, which showed the share of Australians delaying GP care because of cost fell from 8.8% in 2023-24 to 7.7% in 2024-25.

RACGP president Dr Michael Wright said the results point to "greater affordability across the healthcare system". He noted that among patients with a preferred GP, more than two in three were always able to see that doctor when needed. "These are positive outcomes and show that when governments invest in general practice, patients benefit. Funding gets results," he said.

Dr Luke Slawomirski, a health economist with the Australia Institute, called the bulk-billing findings "certainly good news" but urged caution. He pointed out that the survey covers about 7% of the GP workforce and said there should be awareness of possible selection bias. He also said GPs' reported experiences should be kept separate from administrative data and measures of patient outcomes.

Medicare administrative data shows 81% of GP consultations were bulk-billed in 2025-26, up from 78% the year before. Slawomirski said this differs from the RACGP figure because Medicare measures the proportion of services bulk-billed rather than the proportion of patients.

Both experts said bulk-billing rates alone are not a sufficient measure of success. Slawomirski said a strong system also depends on access, quality of care and patient outcomes, and noted "a sizeable access problem" when one-third of patients cannot see a GP when they need to. Wright warned that inequities could emerge between communities if some patients continue to face higher out-of-pocket costs or reduced access.

The RACGP is calling for higher Medicare rebates for longer consultations and for an independent primary care pricing authority to ensure funding reflects the true cost of care. Slawomirski said reform should go further, citing the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce's recommendation to move away from heavy reliance on fee-for-service payments toward blended funding, especially for people with chronic and complex conditions. He also called for support for multidisciplinary teams, which he said the current payment system discourages.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare estimated that potentially preventable hospitalisations cost the economy $7.7bn in 2023-24. Slawomirski said better primary care could ease that burden, and suggested paying GPs more relative to other medical specialists. "We need more people working in primary care, and a payment system that rewards them for keeping people healthy," he said.