Strengthening Medicare with more Bulk Billing

A re-elected Labor Government will make the single largest investment in Medicare since its creation over 40 years ago, with $8.5 billion to deliver an additional 18 million bulk billed GP visits each year.

Assistant Health Minister and Member for Dobell, Emma McBride MP, joined the Prime Minister and Health Minister for the announcement in Launceston.
 
Australian patients and families will save hundreds of dollars a year in out-of-pocket costs, with patient savings of $859 million a year by 2030.
 
Labor’s record investment restores the $8.3 billion the Australian Medical Association says was cut from Medicare through the funding freeze initiated by Peter Dutton a decade ago.

In November 2023, the Labor Government tripled the bulk billing incentive for seniors, concession card holders and children under 16. This has seen the bulk billing rate stabilise and begin to rise with 72.3% of all GP visits on the Central Coast fully bulk billed.
 
For the first time, Labor will expand bulk billing incentives to all Australians and create an additional new incentive payment for practices that bulk bill every patient.
 
Labor will:

• Expand the bulk billing incentive to all Australians.
  • Labor tripled the bulk billing incentive for people who need to see their GP most often: pensioners, concession cardholders, and families with children.
  • From 1 November, Labor will expand that incentive to all Australians.
• Introduce a new incentive payment for practices that bulk bill every patient.
  • From 1 November, a new Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program will support practices that bulk bill all their patients.
  • On top of the bulk billing incentive, fully bulk billing practices will receive an additional 12.5% loading payment on their Medicare rebates.

 
Labor will deliver more doctors and nurses into Medicare, with 400 nursing scholarships and the largest GP training program in Australian history, funding the training of 2,000 new GP trainees a year by 2028.

Quotes attributable to the Assistant Minister McBride, Member for Dobell:
 
“Labor built Medicare, and we’ll always protect and strengthen it.
 
“Our historic investment to triple the bulk billing incentive for every Australian means more people will be able to visit the GP for free.

“As a healthcare worker and Assistant Health Minister, I know the significant benefit this will have for people in our community.

“Since being elected our government has been focused on strengthening Medicare with new Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, Medicare Mental Health Centres, cheaper medicines, and more bulk billing.”
 
Quotes attributable to Dr Reid, Member for Robertson:
 
“As a practising emergency doctor, this record investment into Medicare will mean more people in our community will be able to see a bulk billed doctor.

“The Federal Labor Government will always protect and strengthen Medicare.

“Combined with our Medicare Urgent Care Clinics in Umina Beach and Lake Haven, our government is building a better healthcare system on the Central Coast.”