The average out-of-pocket cost for Hunter and Central Coast patients to see a GP was $46.16 in the September quarter, a rise of 60 per cent in a decade.
Medicare data showed this gap fee for the Hunter New England and Central Coast primary health network was $40.27 in the September quarter last year.
In 2014, this cost was only $28.78.
The Newcastle Herald reported last month that one in five people delayed or avoided seeing a GP in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie due to cost.
This was a 211 per cent rise in four years.
University of Newcastle health economist Francesco Paolucci said it was not a surprise to see GP costs rising.
"The Medicare rebates and subsidies are not adjusted for those increases," Professor Paolucci said.
Professor Paolucci said the long-term rise in GP fees was "a sign of fundamental structural issues".
"We will keep facing this until we address these issues," he said.
This included GP training and recruitment options to address doctor shortages, problems the federal government says they are working on.
Dr Max Mollenkopf, of Whitebridge Medical Centre, said there were signs of change in the GP training sector.
"There is a green shoots recovery with more people wanting to become GPs, but we need more training spots so we can start filling the shortfall."
Dr Mollenkopf said GP prices were rising partly due to "huge CPI increases that are reflected in every business".
He said there had been independent proposals that "the cost of Medicare items should rise with the broader economic environment".
"The government has chosen to control how much Medicare increases, rather than reflecting the broader reality for consumers."
The Albanese government recently highlighted that it increased the Medicare rebate in the past two years by more than the former government did in nine years.
But Dr Mollenkopf said universal primary healthcare no longer existed in Australia.
"The government doesn't fund the cost of a GP consult for the majority of consumers," he said.
Shortland MP Pat Conroy said "it became harder and more expensive for people in our community to see a GP under the Liberals".
"This is a result of a decade of cuts and neglect to our healthcare system, and unfortunately that's not something that can be fixed overnight," Mr Conroy said.
The government sought to improve this by "saving the GP Access After Hours service, opening Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, investing in bulk billing, and making it easier for GP practices in our area to recruit more doctors".
In June, University of Melbourne academics asked why the government could not bulk-bill all GP visits.
"We worked out this would cost about $950 million a year for all GP services, or $700 million a year for face-to-face GP consultations," they wrote.
"This is within reach under the current budget, especially for face-to-face GP consultations."
However, they said this "may encourage more people to see their GP unnecessarily, taking away limited resources".
"But paying more than $50 for a GP visit, as many do, seems too expensive and also makes the healthcare system less efficient."
They suggested that GP visits should be free in rural and remote areas and for concession cardholders and children, but cost only $20 to $30 for others.
Professor Paolucci said private health insurance would be "a more equitable and efficient way to deal with GP fee gaps than the status quo".
Dr Mollenkopf said the concept of private health insurance in the GP sector was contentious.
Both supported preventive care but for different reasons.
"We'd be replacing one insurer (Medicare) with another (private market)," he said.
He said private health insurers were "already buying general practice groups".
"They are active in this space. Something will happen in the next five to 10 years, as long as the government continues to leave people to pay gaps."
