Copyright thewest
Health Minister Mark Butler says he expects almost a thousand Australian general practices will become fully bulk-billed on Saturday under a new incentives scheme. The scheme is part of Anthony Albanese’s $8.5 billion Medicare election promise to make nine out of 10 GP visits bulk billed by 2030. Speaking in Parliament on Monday, Mr Butler confirmed that already 900 clinics had indicated to the Government that they would take up the incentives. “We think about 900 practices as of Friday have already indicated to Government that this week, they’re charging gap fees and next week, they’ll be a fully bulk billing practice. “So, every GP in their practice will bulk bill every single patient that comes through their door. “Now we expect that number to increase, of course, this week, “A whole lot of practices that I’m sure will be making the decision to do this but just haven’t informed the Government yet. “We’re very confident there’s going to be a big expansion of bulk billing.” Mr Butler said the Government has sent communications to every GP clinic in the country to inform them whether they would be better off under the incentives. He said that while the number of practices that fully bulk-bill has reached 900, the number of individual GPs eager to sign has been in the thousands. Labor claims eventually around 4800 GP clinics nationally would begin to bulk-bill — triple the current number. Across WA, Labor estimates practices which will bulk-bill will grow to more than 400 and says Perth’s current 23 bulk-billing clinics was expected to rise to 250. Mr Butler says it will be in Australian GPs best interest financially to take up their incentive. “Two years ago, a full time, fully-bulk billing GP would have been earning about $280,000 a year after they’ve paid their practice costs,” Mr Butler said. “From this weekend, they’ll be earning $405,000 a year — a $125,000 increase — so this investment is obviously good for the Medicare system, good for patients, but it’s also good for GPs.”
