Australia's first national network of GP-led women's health clinics – is pleased to announce it will increase bulk billing across majority of its clinics, following recent Federal Government funding reforms delivered through the Strengthening Medicare Bulk Billing Incentive and Women's Health Package.
Evoca operates 43 women's health clinics across Australia, offering affordable care to thousands of women each year. From 1 November, 28 Evoca clinics (65%) will fully bulk bill eligible GP consults, with over 75% of the clinics expected to fully convert to bulk billing in the next 12 months. Access and affordability are priorities across all Evoca clinics with bulk billing available wherever possible and transparent, affordable fees in place where it is not.
This means thousands more women will be able to access key women's health services for no cost at Evoca clinics nationwide. This includes menopause and fertility assessments, pelvic pain care, heavy bleeding and hormonal treatments.
In addition, the Government's investment in Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARCs) will provide an increase in the rebates to patients for LARC procedures.
LARCs, which include intrauterine device (IUD) and implant insertion and removal, are contraceptive tools as well as treatments for endometriosis, heavy menstrual bleeding and menopause.[1] Average out-of-pocket costs range from $50 to more than $300 outside of Evoca clinics. This rebate makes LARC procedures more accessible to more women across more locations in Australia.
According to the National Clinical Director of Evoca, Dr Sneha Wadhwani, the rebate represents a major stride forward for women wanting to access high quality clinical services that are affordable and convenient.
"Evoca was established to meet the needs of women at various ages and stages of life, especially in demographics where access to care was limited and also unaffordable. We are thrilled that our passionate and skilled GPs will now be able to provide those services even more cost effectively, as two in every three of our clinics will be bulk billing," said Dr Wadhwani.
For many women, this shift could mean the difference between delaying care and getting timely help. By embracing the new changes, Evoca is helping to close a critical access gap, and delivering tangible health benefits across communities.
"This is about removing barriers to care that too many women still face," said Dr Wadhwani. "When the cost of a consultation or a simple contraceptive procedure becomes a deciding factor, women's health suffers and so does community health overall. By leading this change, Evoca is ensuring that holistic, women-centred care is no longer a privilege, but a reality."
Evoca is pleased to announce that the LARC investments will enable the majority of trained Evoca GPs to offer bulk billed IUD and contraceptive implant services, with no cost to Medicare-eligible patients.
Over the last year, Evoca GPs have delivered over 2,500 LARC procedures, thanks to Evoca's free, in-house clinical training program. Access for patients will continue to improve as additional GPs are trained through Evoca's comprehensive education and clinical support package. This includes Evoca's annual conference, monthly webinars and peer-to-peer support programs, which are designed to enable clinicians in the Evoca network to provide high standards of holistic women's health care.
Cost has long been a barrier to accessing care, with one in ten Australians delaying or foregoing GP care.[2] Women are often disproportionately affected due to ongoing reproductive and hormonal healthcare requirements throughout their lives, which can lead to significant out-of-pocket fees for specialist or procedural care not fully covered by Medicare.[3]
Women's health conditions such as endometriosis, heavy menstrual bleeding, menopause and pelvic pain contribute to thousands of lost workdays and substantial productivity costs each year.[4] By improving affordable access to GP-led women's healthcare nationwide, Evoca and its GPs are contributing to reduced hospital admissions, specialist waitlists and long-term economic burden.
