The Albanese Government is preparing for the single largest investment in Medicare since its inception to deliver more bulk billing for Australians.
For the first time, on 1 November 2025, Labor is expanding bulk billing incentives to all Australians and creating an additional new incentive payment for practices that bulk bill every patient.
This will mean 9 out of 10 GP visits will be bulk billed by 2030, boosting the number of fully bulk billed practices to around 4,800 nationally - triple the current number.
Currently, providers only receive Medicare bulk billing incentives if they bulk bill children under 16 years old and Commonwealth concession card holders. This investment in the Albanese Government's first term has meant more than 9 out of 10 visits for under 16 year olds and concession card holders are now bulk billed.
From 1 November 2025, practices and GPs registering for the Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program will equally share in the additional incentive payment of 12.5%.
The Government has consulted closely with doctors and GP practices to determine the split. The Department of Health continues to host webinars for thousands of GPs to support their understand of the significant benefits to them and their patients by joining the program and shifting to bulk billing
Practices which join the Bulk Billing Incentive Program will need to bulk bill every eligible patient for every eligible service to be able to participate in the program and receive the extra 12.5% incentive.
These investments build on the Albanese Government delivering the three largest boosts to Medicare rebates in decades.
At the moment, a bulk billing GP earns less than their mixed billing or privately billing colleagues for providing the same number of services.
The Albanese Government's historic Medicare investment will mean bulk billing GPs will earn more than average mixed billing GPs, with a GP at a city practice that bulk bills every visit earning over $5,300 more than a mixed billing GP that provides the same number of services.
The earnings boost is larger outside of city areas, with a GP at a rural practice that bulk bills every visit to earn almost $24,000 more than a mixed billing GP, for providing the same number of services.
The calculations are an extension of the practice-level modelling conducted by the Department of Health and Aged Care and have been released in a fact sheet on the health.gov.au website.
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
"Already GP practices, like this one in Elizabeth have signalled they will move to a fully bulk billing practice.
"Doctors and practices are making the shift because they know it is good for patients, and it is good for their bottom line.
"We know this investment will work, because it has already worked for the patients the incentive already applies to - pensioners, concession cardholders, and families with kids.
"I want every Australian to know they only need their Medicare card, not their credit card, to receive the health care they need.
"These changes will make it easier for Australians to find a bulk billing GP with 90 per cent of GP visits nationally to be bulk billed by 2030."
