Where gap fees bite hardest
Averaged over every GP visit, bulk billed or not, a visit cost patients $9.60 across Australia in Apr–Jun 2026. In 25 of the most disadvantaged local areas, it cost more.
High costs where people can least afford them
Most disadvantaged areas are bulk billed heavily, so a GP visit costs little on average. These are the exceptions: areas in the two most disadvantaged fifths where the cost per visit is above the national average.
Queensland has the most, with 11; then Western Australia (4) and Tasmania (4). The highest are Central Highlands (Qld) at $17.97 a visit, East Pilbara at $16.91 a visit and Hobart - North West at $15.49 a visit.
Figure 1.Average out-of-pocket cost across all GP visits, by how disadvantaged each area is
Cost per visit is the average gap fee multiplied by the share of visits not bulk billed. Disadvantage: ABS Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (SEIFA 2021). Sources: Medicare quarterly statistics, SA3 summary; ABS.
The 25 areas
| Area | Cost per visit | Bulk billed |
|---|---|---|
| Central Highlands (Qld)Qld | $17.97 | 71.3% |
| East PilbaraWA | $16.91 | 75.2% |
| Hobart - North WestTas | $15.49 | 78.3% |
| Bowen Basin - NorthQld | $14.75 | 74.5% |
| BrightonTas | $14.49 | 80.1% |
| Tablelands (East) - KurandaQld | $13.99 | 76.0% |
| Darling Downs (West) - MaranoaQld | $13.26 | 77.2% |
| LauncestonTas | $12.50 | 79.1% |
| Central Highlands (Tas.)Tas | $12.08 | 83.8% |
| RedcliffeQld | $11.68 | 79.0% |
| Innisfail - Cassowary CoastQld | $11.35 | 79.0% |
| Tamworth - GunnedahNSW | $11.34 | 81.4% |
| Port Douglas - DaintreeQld | $11.28 | 83.6% |
| StrathpineQld | $11.02 | 79.5% |
| AlburyNSW | $10.88 | 81.9% |
| Caboolture HinterlandQld | $10.83 | 82.3% |
| MandurahWA | $10.52 | 79.2% |
| Mid WestWA | $10.42 | 82.4% |
| Limestone CoastSA | $10.38 | 82.8% |
| ManjimupWA | $10.16 | 83.7% |
| RockhamptonQld | $10.08 | 84.3% |
| KatherineNT | $10.05 | 89.3% |
| GladstoneQld | $9.88 | 84.1% |
| WyongNSW | $9.77 | 80.2% |
| CampaspeVic | $9.67 | 81.7% |
Areas in the two most disadvantaged fifths with at least 10,000 GP visits a quarter and a cost per visit above the national average, Apr–Jun 2026. Each of these areas is large, and its average can hide suburbs where costs are much higher or lower.