Posted 19 March 2025
MEDIA RELEASE - PROVISION OF RURAL GP SERVICES
The recent Medicare bulk billing announcement by the Federal Government has been widely promoted as ensuring “9 out of 10 GP visits will be free.” However, this promise is misleading for rural communities, where access to a GP remains the fundamental issue. While the incentives may slightly benefit urban practices already bulk billing, they fail to address the chronic shortage of doctors in RM 6 and RM 7 regions, where residents often travel over in excess of 100 kilometers just to see a GP. Without doctors in place, increased bulk billing incentives are meaningless.