There were four major changes for health care in the 2023-24 budget: prioritising primary care, funding to strengthen Medicare, cheaper access to common medicines, and new funding to keep the digital health system going. Many of these changes were foreshadowed in recent weeks.
The big news on budget night was a tripling of the bulk-billing incentive, a key plank to strengthen Medicare.
This payment was introduced in 2004 to encourage GPs to bulk bill pensioners, health care card holders and children. It provides an additional amount, of around A$7 to over $10 depending on GP location, on top of the ordinary Medicare rebate when the service is bulk billed.
