Bulk-billing incentives improve access to affordable healthcare

The Australian government has made it easier for millions of Australians to access free healthcare appointments through changes to its bulk billing incentive.

On November 1, the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) was expanded to include all Medicare-eligible patients, when cover was previously limited to patients under 16 and those with a Commonwealth concession card.

Furthermore, general practices can now register for the Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program (BBPIP), which will see participants receive an additional quarterly 12.5 per cent incentive payment on MBS benefits, that can be split between the GP and the practice.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his government is committed to ensuring no one is “held back” or “left behind” when it comes to their health.

“No Australian should have to check their bank balance to see if they can afford to see a doctor. That is not who we are. That is not the future we want for Australia,” he said.

“We’re delivering more bulk billing for every Australian, making it easier to see a doctor and saving families money.”  

Labor promised this $8.5 billion investment – the largest boost to Medicare in more than four decades – during the federal election campaign, with the vision of 90 per cent of all GP appointments being bulk billed by 2030.

“I want every Australian to know they only need their Medicare card, not their credit card, to receive the health care they need,” Minister for Health, Disability and Ageing Mark Butler said.

“Every electorate in the country will now have GP practices that bulk bill every patient.”  

With cost affecting three in four Australians’ health decisions, more bulk billing hopefully means less people delaying or avoiding necessary check-ups.

Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) federal secretary Annie Butler said the investment is a welcome step towards more effective and equitable preventive healthcare.

“As Australians deal with cost-of-living pressures, expanding Medicare bulk-billing services will certainly help reduce out of pocket fees for more patients, ensuring that cost isn’t a deterrent for people who need timely medical care,” Ms Butler said.

“As nurses and midwives, we see the consequences of delayed treatment, so if more people can access affordable healthcare, it means they will be less likely to end-up in already overstretched emergency departments – taking pressure off the public hospital system.”

Nurses can do more

Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA) president Denise Lyons highlighted the potential for nurses, often a patient’s first port of call, to deliver on the government’s goal of sustainable, patient-centred care.

“Investment in access is only part of the picture. To truly strengthen Medicare, we must also support the workforce that delivers it,” Mrs Lyons said. 

“Primary health care nurses are a highly skilled and qualified workforce, regularly undertaking immunisation, wound care, care planning and coordination, and so much more. They already play a critical role – but if we break down the barriers, nurses can do even more for their communities.

“Removing barriers to nurse-led clinics, enabling Nurse Practitioners to access the bulk billing incentive, and implementing the reforms recommended in the Scope of Practice review are all steps that will enable nurses to do so much more, particularly in regional and remote areas.”