Bulk billing since 2009, by visits and by people
The headline rate counts GP visits. Counting people instead tells a less rosy story, and the gap between the two has widened since 2021.
Bulk billing slid for two years, then turned around
- 1November 2023. The government tripled the incentive GPs get for bulk billing children under 16 and concession card holders.
- 2November 2025. The incentive was extended to every Medicare card holder, and practices that bulk bill every eligible patient started receiving an extra 12.5% on top.
Figure 1.Share of GP visits bulk billed, Australia, by quarter
Source: Medicare quarterly statistics, state and territory. Quarters by date the claim was processed. The line at 90% is the government’s target for 2030.
Counting people, not visits
Figure 2.GP visits bulk billed, and patients whose visits were always or never bulk billed, Australia, by financial year
Years end in June. Patient figures leave out temporary COVID-19 vaccine items. Sources: Medicare quarterly statistics, state and territory (visits); Medicare GP non-referred attendances patient bulk billing ranges, Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (patients).
Adults of working age are now catching up
Figure 3.Share of GP visits bulk billed, Australia, by patient age
Source: Medicare quarterly statistics, bulk billing by Primary Health Network.