New Medicare data shows nearly nine out of 10 Australians visit their GPs without paying a cent with GP bulk billing rates at a record 86 per cent in the nine months from July 2018 to March 2019.
This is up 4 percentage points compared to when Labor was last in office and a record for the first three quarters of the year.
A total of 248.1 million services, including those provided by GPs, specialists, pathologists and diagnostic imagers were bulk billed in the nine months to March 2019. This was 7 million more than in the same period last year.
These figures mean that, on average, Australians are receiving more medical services with no out of pocket costs.
Medicare has never been stronger. Our commitment to Medicare and bulk billing is rock solid.
Maintaining Medicare for future generations is an essential part of the Government’s Long Term National Health Plan.
Australia has one of the best health systems in the world, founded on Medicare. These figures show that Medicare is supporting the health and wellbeing of Australians more than ever before.
This is great news for patients, families and the wider community. In the 2019-20 Budget, the Government increased Medicare funding by $6 billion. We will continue to deliver a world class health system for all Australians.
