Here’s Why It’s So Fkn Hard To Find A GP That Actually Bulk-Bills These Days

If you, like me, have been getting sick a lot lately (thank you, post-lockdown flu season), you’ve probably struggled to find a local GP who bulk-bills. No, you’re not imagining it — more and more medical clinics are moving to private billing or charging gap fees because, according to them, Medicare’s bulk-billing rebate just isn’t enough to cover costs anymore. According to news.com.au, the average out-of-pocket costs patients are paying to see their GP have increased by 50 per cent in the last decade. During the same time, the gap between a GP’s fee and the Medicare refund they receive has more than tripled. How much does Medicare rebate doctors, you ask? For a standard consult it’s $39.75, which is not a whole lot considering the impacts of inflation