01 Nov 2026 Mirage News.
Over 4,000 GP Practices Now Bulk Bill All Patients   

Department of Health
One year on from the Australian Government's record investment in Medicare, more Australians are seeing a GP for free, taking the pressure off household budgets.   

More than 4,000 GP practices across Australia are now fully Medicare Bulk Billing Practices, compared to 2,300 just 12 months ago.

Now, 50% of all general practices exclusively bulk bill, compared to 30% a year ago, saving Australian patients and families hundreds of dollars a year on out-of-pocket costs.

The number of fully bulk billing practices has more than doubled in South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania and the ACT.

More than 97% of Australians now live within 20 minutes' drive of a general practice that bulk bills all patients.

The Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program provides substantially higher Medicare rebates to GPs and practices if all doctors in the practice bulk bill all of their patients, all of the time.

The proportion of bulk billing clinics in each jurisdiction is currently:

58% in New South Wales, up from 39 % a year ago;
55% in Victoria, up from 32%
45% in Queensland, up from 24%
43% in South Australia, up from 19%
32% in Western Australia, up from 15%
47% in Tasmania, up from 17%
80% in the Northern Territory, up from 60%
21% in the ACT, up from 10%.
The biggest jump has been in rural areas, where the percentage of bulk billing practices has lifted by 27% to 59%.

Remote areas continue to have the highest proportion of bulk billing clinics, at 77%.

Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:

"Australian patients are paying less for their GP visits, with one in two general practices across the nation now committed to bulk billing all patients.

"For doctors and practice managers, bulk billing is now an attractive option for the first time in many years.

"Strengthening Medicare and delivering free visits to the doctor have only happened due to the Albanese Labor Government's investments."

Is it possible that the bulk billing doctors do a better job
because they are in it to help people not just to make money?

Daves2017 wrote on Nov 2^nd, 2026 at 11:02am:


Or used home remedies such as Aloe Vera on burnt skin.

Daves2017 wrote on Nov 2^nd, 2026 at 11:02am:


The only time you go to the hospital over seeing your GP is when you are suffering a serious injury or having had a stroke.

We know the coalition cant be trusted with Medicare and bulk-billing.   

There is a difference between State elections, and Federal elections Bobby.  These things should not be at the expense, of Medicare and Bulk-billing.   

We cant all afford private health insurance.   

It is good to have a mother as a nurse, as I was growing up. When I had minor surgery, I was allowed to have my own room in a private hospital. Mum probably could get some sort of discount on private health insurance, due to her occupation. But I would not be sure about that. Either way, Mum acted as my attendant nurse to treat me post-surgery at home.