The number of GPs who bulk bill has declined 15 per cent in two years and average out-of-pocket costs are climbing. That's the finding from a new report from online healthcare directory Cleanbill, who say the data paints a concerning picture about healthcare accessibility in Australia.
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00:00So this report by Clean Bill shows that the rates of bulk billing are down across the
00:07country.
00:08So it shows that rates across the country are down to around 20% compared to 24% last
00:13year.
00:14And these statistics are calculated by looking at the number of clinics which are accepting
00:17new patients and also which are bulk billing patients that are not, or adults that are
00:22without concessions too.
00:23So the rates were highest in New South Wales where they were sitting at around 34% while
00:27they were lowest in Tasmania where there were no clinics that were bulk billing new
00:31patients.
00:33So this report pulled together information from nearly 7,000 different GP clinics across
00:37the country.
00:38It looked at these rates of bulk billing but also for costs of appointments as well.
00:43So here in South Australia we actually had the lowest out of pocket costs sitting at
00:47around $41 and that's below the national average of around $43.
00:51So most of the other states were sitting kind of $42 to $44 but it was highest in Tasmania
00:57where it was $54.26 for out of pocket costs on average to see a GP while in the ACT it
01:03was just under $52.
01:05So Clean Bill says that it's no surprise really that there were around one and a half million
01:09Australians in 2023 to 2024 that didn't go to see a GP because of these cost concerns.
01:15Now the Federal Health Minister Mark Butler, he declined to respond directly to these rising
01:20costs but he did direct the ABC to a press conference which was held recently where he
01:24said that Commonwealth investment meant that there'd been an additional five million or
01:28more than five million bulk billed appointments in the 12 months to November 2024.