Media release: Saturday 1 November
More people to have affordable access to GPs for Heart Health Checks and heart health management from today
The Heart Foundation has welcomed the Australian Government's bulk-billing expansion which will help more people see a GP for heart disease prevention and management.
In the Heart Foundation's 2025 State of the Heart survey, more than 40 percent of respondents who had missed or delayed a heart health appointment with their GP said it was due to cost.
Today, under the Australian Government's expansion to the Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program (BBPIP), more GP clinics will be encouraged to bulk bill patients.
The Australian Government says 1,000 clinics have already registered to become fully bulk-billed from today, 1st November, joining the 1,600 who already offer full bulk-billing.
There are two expected benefits for people at risk of heart disease, including:
- Improved access to Medicare Heart Health Checks: Australia's most comprehensive heart disease prevention check is subsidised by Medicare. From today, more clinics will be able to fully bulk-bill the Check without charging gap fees, making the consultation completely free at these pratcices.
- Improved chronic care for people who have experienced a heart event: People living with heart disease who need ongoing care from their GP will now have more options to see a GP at no out of pocket expense.
Heart Foundation CEO, David Lloyd, welcomed the expansion and said expanded bulk-billing would improve affordable access to a GP for all people in Australia and lessen hospitalisations and related costs over time.
"Heart health equity for everyone in Australia is the cornerstone of the Heart Foundation's 25-year vision, Health for Every Heart," Mr Lloyd said.
"Sadly, people have told us that cost is the leading cause for them missing or delaying a heart health appointment with their GP.
"Similarly, health budgets cannot continue to absorb growing and ageing populations who are hospitalised for heart disease that an earlier visit to a GP could have prevented.
Today's bulk-billing expansion is a very welcome step in the right direction by the Australian Government in ensuring every person in Australia has the access to preventive health care they need through their local GP.
David Lloyd
Heart Foundation CEO
