Key Facts:
- Access to GP care remains high, with 99% of Australians able to see a GP when needed though 8.8% delayed seeking care due to costs in 2023–24
- The average gap fee for a standard appointment increased to $39
- Only 12% of GPs report they can afford to bulk bill all patients, with 36% bulk billing most patients and 40% bulk billing few or no patients
- But 56% of patients were bulk billed for all their general practice care
- Rising costs and the complex care needs of an ageing population are creating ongoing challenges for practices
A new Health of the Nation report has revealed that while the cost of care continues to rise, access to bulk billing appears to have stabilised.
The report from the Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) is set to be released next week, providing a picture of the state of general practice to help politicians and policymakers understand current trends.
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said: "The 2025 Health of the Nation report tells a familiar story – the cost of care is still rising, but access to affordable GP care remains high.
"Access to general practice remains high, with 99% of Australians reporting being able to see a GP when they needed to.
"But we are living in an ageing society with more chronic health conditions and more complex health care needs, which means patients require more time with GPs they know and trust to understand and manage their multiple health needs, keeping them healthy and reducing the strain on our emergency departments.
"The RACGP continues to advocate more funding support for longer consults to ensure our GPs can better support patients needing complex care."
In 2023–24, 8.8% of people report delaying seeking GP care due to cost, an increase from 7% in the previous year.
"People aged 15 to 34 remain most likely to delay care, putting them at risk of missing out on essential care for mental health concerns or early interventions to prevent chronic disease," Dr Wright said.
"Between 2024 and 2025, the average fee for a 6–20-minute appointment, including the Medicare rebate, has increased from just over $78 to $82, leaving an average 'gap fee' of around $39.
"When it comes to bulk billing, the report showed that 12% of GPs are bulk billing all their patients. The percentage of GPs bulk billing most of their patients has decreased to 36% and the percentage of GPs bulk billing a minority or no patients is currently sitting at 40%.
"The percentage of patients that were bulk billed for all their care in general practice remains unchanged from 2024, at an average of 56% across all practising GPs.
"The statistics on cost of care and GP's experiences with bulk billing in this year's report give us an important baseline to benchmark the success of the Government's upcoming bulk billing incentives.
"The Government has recognised the value of general practice through a significant investment in GP training and Medicare.
"But there has been some concern from GPs about whether the new bulk billing incentives will adequately cover the cost of the high-quality, comprehensive care their patients need.
"The RACGP will continue to work with our members and the Government to ensure everyone in Australia can access affordable care from a GP who knows them and their history."
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