According to Medicare billing data, Macarthur residents have accessed an additional 82,715 bulk billed GP visits in the last 12 months.
Dr Mike Freelander, the federal member for Macarthur (pictured above), has welcomed the increase, saying it shows the federal government’s investment to strengthen Medicare one year ago has revived bulk billing.
“Our investments in bulk billing mean more Macarthur residents are getting bulk billed visits at the GP than they were last year,’’ Dr Freelander said.
“Families with children under 16, pensioners and concession cardholders have seen the greatest increase in bulk billing.’’
According to the figures, nationally there were an additional 103,000 bulk billed visits to the GP every week, on average, or 5.4 million additional visits since November last year.
On November last year the federal government announced what it said was the largest investment in bulk billing in Medicare history, targeted to families with children under 16, pensioners and concession card holders.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) called the investment a “game changer” and for the past 12 months, doctors said it has given them the confidence and support they need to bulk bill more often.
And a survey of thousands of doctors released by the RACGP last month reported that more doctors say they are bulk billing more of their patients, more of the time.
Families with children under 16, pensioners and concession card holders are now bulk billed much more often: 90 per cent of GP visits with children under 16 were bulk billed in the past year.
These 11 million Australians are the patients that see their GP most often: they make up 40 per cent of the population and account for 60 per cent of GP visits, on average.
