Bulk Billing Growing Faster in Rural and Remote Areas, New Data Shows

Bulk Billing Growing Faster in Rural and Remote Areas, New Data Shows

13 Apr 2026

Nationally, the share of fully bulk-billing clinics has risen by about 20 percentage points. In small rural towns (classified as MM5 areas), the number jumped from around 21% in January 2025 to 57.8% in January 2026.

In comparison, metropolitan areas (MM1) saw a smaller increase, rising by 16.8 percentage points to 39.2% over the same period.

RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said the data supports the idea that bulk billing increases when funding better matches the real cost of providing care, especially in areas where services are harder to deliver.

He said there is a need for Medicare funding to be set in a more consistent and evidence-based way, so GPs can better plan services and keep bulk billing sustainable.

The current tripled bulk billing incentive for a standard GP visit ranges from $25.70 in inner-city areas to $49.45 in remote locations.

The report also found that areas with fewer doctors per person saw the largest increases in bulk billing, while cities with more GPs had smaller changes.

Federal Health and Ageing Minister Mark Butler said more than 3,700 practices are now fully bulk billing, exceeding government targets set for 2028, and that uptake has been faster than expected.

However, he also questioned the Cleanbill findings, saying the data should not be relied on as fully accurate. His office said updated Medicare statistics will be released next month.

Cleanbill also reported that out-of-pocket costs for non-bulk billed visits rose to an average of $49.23, while government figures showed the average cost per GP service, including bulk billed visits, was $10.09 and had decreased overall. 

https://www1.racgp.org.au/

Source: Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and Cleanbill analysis

 

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