No bulk-billing at most country GP clinics ‘concerning’ data reveals

Most GP clinics in regional Victoria do not offer bulk billing according to “worrying” statistics that highlight the gap between metro and country healthcare.

New health data says it has become more difficult for regional patients to find clinics that bulk-bill.

Almost four out of five GP clinics in regional Victoria do not offer bulk-billing to all adult patients, as new data reveals the “deeply concerning” gulf between metropolitan and country healthcare.

Just 21.1 per cent of regional Victorian clinics offer bulk-billing to all, a new report from online healthcare directory Cleanbill shows, compared to 26 per cent of Melbourne practices.

The Regional Breakdown report shows gap fees were also higher, averaging $40.69 in Melbourne for a 15-minute appointment compared to $42.69 in the regions.

Most country Victorian GP clinics are not offering bulk-billing for adult patients.

The divide was even greater nationally, with less than one in six — or 16.3 per cent — of clinics located outside their state’s capital charging no gap, compared to 28.7 per cent of Hobart, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth clinics.

The data is based on a survey, conducted after the November medicare rebate rise, of more than 6,000 clinics that are open to new patients.

It comes despite the national GP bulk billing rate — which measures the percentage of services that were bulk billed — rising by 2.1 percentage points to 77.7 per cent in December.

Cleanbill founder James Gillespie said there was a “significant drop” in clinics that offer bulk-billing to everyone in Melbourne last year, but the “magnitude of differences between cities and the rest of the states” was a shock.

“In these regional areas it can be very difficult to find those GPs who do still bulkbill,” he said.

Mr Gillespie said it would be “a worrying trend for the accessibility of healthcare across Australia” if the drop in fully bulk-billing clinics continued.

New data indicates it is difficult for regional patients to find clinics that bulk-bill.

He said he was “absolutely” concerned the lower rate disadvantaged regional residents’ health and that 90 per cent of clinics’ websites did not list their fees.

“The information is simply very hard to come by,” he said.

Mr Gillespie said the data also highlighted the gap between Melbourne and Sydney, where almost one in two clinics bulk bill — the country’s highest rate — while regional NSW recorded just 13.3 per cent.

“[NSW] is the most similar state when we’re looking at distribution of people within the state and then also size of the state,” he said.

Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Nicole Higgins said the medicare rebate hadn’t “kept up with the cost of providing services” and rural residents — who statistically have poorer health — deserve health equity.

“We need to increase our medicare support for our rural and regional patients,” she said.

But she said the survey, by only counting clinics who bulk-bill everyone, failed to capture the many mixed-billing clinics who do not charge pensioners, concession card holders and children.

She said the national GP bulk billing rate’s recent rise showed change was possible, crediting the tripling of the bulk-billing incentive - which is paid when doctors bulk-bill these groups.

“Funding drives outcomes, funding gets results,” she said.

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said their recent changes had helped stop “the slide in bulk billing rates that came from a decade of cuts and neglect that Peter Dutton kicked off as Health Minister.”

“For a doctor in regional and rural areas of Australia, the Medicare payment has increased by around 50 per cent,” he said.

360,000 more GP visits were bulk billed in November and December, saving Australians an estimated $15 million in gap fees.”

Originally published as No bulk-billing at most country GP clinics ‘concerning’ data reveals