Bulk-billing rates rebound on back of government's multi-billion-dollar policy


Feb 11 2026
ABC News

Health Minister Mark Butler said the government had delivered on its promise to increase bulk-billing rates.   

In short:
Bulk-billing rates rose to more than 81 per cent between November and January.

The increase is the first measure of the impact of the Albanese government's $8.5 billion cornerstone health pledge.

What's next?
Doctors have previously expressed scepticism about whether a government commitment to bulk-bill nine out of 10 GP visits will come to fruition.


Bulk-billing rates have rebounded in the last quarter after flatlining for months, the first clear measure of the impact of the Albanese government's multi-billion-dollar signature policy.

New figures released by the federal government show that between November 2025 and January of this year, the bulk-billing rate for all Australians jumped to 81.4 per cent nationwide.   

That is compared to a bulk-billing rate of 77.6 per cent for the July to September quarter last year, which was largely unimproved from the year prior.

The government said it was the largest quarterly increase on record outside of the COVID pandemic, where rates were inflated on the back of the mandatory bulk-billing of vaccine consults.

"We promised Australians more bulk-billing and that is what we have delivered," Health Minister Mark Butler said.

"More Australians are finding it easier to find a bulk-billing doctor in every state and territory.   

"Doctors and practices are moving back to bulk-billing because it works for patients and it works for their practices."

Anthony Albanese holds up a Medicare card on the campaign trail.
In the lead up to the 2025 election, Labor promised to make nine out of 10 GP visits free.

The figures provide the first true glimpse into the impact of a cornerstone bulk-billing pre-election commitment, which came into effect in November.

In the lead up to the 2025 election, Labor promised to make nine out of 10 GP visits free for patients by 2030 through the expansion of bulk-billing incentives, as part of an $8.5 billion pre-election pitch aimed at voters struggling with rising healthcare costs.

Bulk-billing incentives are payments aimed at encouraging doctors to provide their services at no cost to their patients.

Previously, they were only given to doctors who saw children and concession card holders without charging an out-of-pocket fee.

Tripling that incentive in 2023 initially arrested the decline in bulk-billing and brought a small improvement, however it later stagnated, prompting the government's move to expand the incentive to everyone.

Scepticism over target
Since November, any GP who bulk-bills now receives a Medicare payment consisting of the rebate and an incentive payment.

For a standard consult by doctors in metropolitan areas that is about $63.50.

GP visits to become free for most under $8.5b Labor Medicare promise
Anthony Albanese on stage, holding up a Medicare card, as people clap.
Labor says nine out of 10 GP visits will be free from out-of-pocket expenses by 2030 under an $8.5 billion Medicare election funding promise.

As a sweetener, any clinic that bulk-bills everyone they see also receives an additional quarterly payment — set at 12.5 per cent of a practice's Medicare billing.

The government said there are now more than 3,400 Medicare Bulk Billing Practices across the country, 1,300 of which previously did mixed billing.

Bulk-billing rates are not indicative of the percentage of people being bulk-billed, and the national rate is also inflated by children and elderly people who are bulk-billed at a much higher rate than other Australians.

There has been scepticism in the sector about whether the government's promise could be fully delivered, saying it would encourage shorter consultations and could compromise quality care.

Some doctors also say the incentives will not offset the cost of bulk-billing every patient, which would impact their budgets.

The Coalition has previously criticised Labor for its bulk-billing rates, pointing to the pre-COVID annual bulk-billing rate of 86 per cent in 2019, when they were in government.

Labor has repeatedly refused to reveal any interim bulk-billing rate targets between now and 2030 — which is well beyond the next election.