More medical clinics are fully bulk billing than a year ago, according to a new report, but patients are also facing higher out-of-pocket costs.
Cleanbill on Monday released the results of a national survey, which contacted 6,877 clinics across the country and found the proportion of fully bulk-billing clinics had almost doubled in a year, from 20.7 per cent to 40.2 per cent.
The survey, conducted between 1 November and mid-December 2025 and disputed by the federal government, also found that out-of-pocket costs have grown for patients who aren't bulk billed.
What do the numbers show?
Cleanbill reports over 1,000 clinics switched from private/mixed billing to fully bulk billing in 2025.
But visiting one of the almost 60 per cent of clinics that aren't fully bulk-billing has become more expensive. The average out-of-pocket cost for a standard consultation has grown from $43.38 to $49.23 in a year, according to the report.
The report defines the bulk billing rate as the number of clinics that will bulk bill a new adult patient without concessions who attends a standard consultation during regular hours, divided by the total number of available clinics in the area.
Cleanbill collects this data by contacting clinics and inquiring whether they offer bulk billing to such patients.
Health Minister Mark Butler said "specific data" in the report "cannot be relied upon".
"On clinic numbers, they failed, for example, to include clinics that did not answer their questions," he said in a statement to SBS News on Monday morning.
The percentage of fully bulk billing clinics has almost doubled to over 40 per cent nationally, with this rate surpassing 50 per cent in NSW and the Northern Territory, according to the Cleanbill report. Source: SBS News
Where are Australians spending the most on GPs?
Australia's smallest and least populous jurisdictions are the most expensive for an adult patient without concessions, according to the report.
Tasmania has the highest average out-of-pocket cost for a standard consultation at $60.76 in 2026, followed by the ACT and Northern Territory.
NSW, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia all sit narrowly above or below the nationwide average out-of-pocket cost of $49.23, while Western Australia was the cheapest area at $46.63.
Tasmania has the highest average out-of-pocket cost for a standard consultation at $60.76, followed by the ACT and Northern Territory. Source: SBS News
Government figures show that since 1 November, more than 3,200 practices are now fully bulk-billed. Almost 1,200 of these were previously mixed billing practices.
"Close to 7,500 General Practices are now registered with MyMedicare. This has increased significantly since 1 November 2025," Butler said.
"By 2030, the number of fully bulk-billed practices will be boosted to around 4,800 nationally."
The Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) said the availability of bulk billing indicated by both the Cleanbill report and federal government data was "good news", but added it was not surprising out-of-pocket costs were on the rise.
"Medicare data show that most GP visits continue to be delivered without cost. However, the RACGP’s Health of the Nation report highlights that consultation complexity and average length are both rising," said RACGP president Dr Michael Wright.
"At the same time, Medicare rebates haven't kept pace with the cost of care for many patients. So, it is not surprising to see that out-of-pocket costs are increasing where new incentives don't cover the cost of providing high-quality care."
Wright said improved access to GP services in rural areas was positive but warned affordability remained a barrier for patients needing longer consultations, particularly for complex or mental health conditions.
He said Medicare funding for extended appointments needed to be improved to ensure patients were not disadvantaged.
What is the bulk billing scheme?
The government has expanded the bulk billing scheme to all Australians and is offering a 12.5 per cent incentive payment on Medicare rebates for clinics that bulk-bill all eligible patients, split between the GP and the practice, to boost accessibility and encourage fully bulk-billed services.
The government has said the policies will triple the number of fully bulk-billed practices to around 4,800 nationally by 2030.
It means the Medicare payment for a standard GP consultation at a bulk-billed, city practice will be almost two-thirds higher — from $42.85 to $69.56.
For a regional or rural practice, it will be almost doubled, from $42.85 to up to $84.86, depending on location.
At the time of the policy announcement last year, Australian Medical Association president Danielle McMullen said there would be a shift in the rates of no out-of-pocket consultations in parts of the country.
However, some areas would see no difference.
"I do hope this will make a difference in rural and regional communities and in our areas of socio-economic disadvantage, where GPs have been really trying as hard as they can to keep those costs down," McMullen said at the time.
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