Today, 1 February 2024 is Medicare’s 40th Birthday, and residents on the South Coast are seeing the benefits of the Government’s record investments to strengthen it.
The Gilmore electorate has seen an increase of 4.3% in the rate of bulk billing in the first two months since the Albanese Government tripled the GP bulk billing incentive, amounting to an estimated 6,028 additional bulk billed trips to the GP.
This has saved patients in Gilmore an estimated $252,945 in gap fees in just the last two months, delivering cost of living relief when families on the South Coast need it most.
The nationwide bulk billing rate has risen, with an estimated 360,000 additional trips to the GP being bulk billed. This has saved Australians more than $15 million in GP gap fees in November and December.
This means that local children, pensioners, and healthcare card holders are finding it easier to see a bulk billing doctor than they have for decades. It also means that our local GPs who bulk bill are getting more Government support for their vital services.
Rural and regional Australians have benefited the most with an estimated additional 202,000 free visits to the GP in two months.
This landmark Budget initiative is a key part of the Government’s Strengthening Medicare reforms and is the largest bulk billing investment in Medicare’s 40-year history.
These savings are in addition to the $1,316,454 people in Gilmore have saved on 119,075 cheaper scripts as a result of Labor’s cheaper medicines policies.
Labor introduced Medicare and now Labor is strengthening Medicare while delivering real cost of living relief to people on the South Coast.
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
“Doctors’ groups have called our tripling of the bulk billing incentive a game changer – and clearly it is.
“The Government committed to making it easier for people to see a bulk billing doctor – and the first two months of data show that is exactly what is happening right around the country, including here on the South Coast.
“This is a win all round – for patients, doctors and the health system – and will help to make Medicare stronger than it has ever been since Labor introduced it 40 years ago.”
Quotes attributable to Fiona Phillips MP:
“Labor introduced Medicare and only Labor can be trusted to strengthen and protect it.
“We know that we’ve seen an escalating GP crisis on the South Coast for far too long, with it getting harder and more expensive to see a doctor over a significant period of time.
“I am absolutely delighted to see real change to this, with local doctors and local patients telling me the positive difference our increased bulk billing rates and regional healthcare package are making for them.
“This is on top of the new Batemans Bay Urgent Care Clinic, significant savings from our cheaper medicines policy, and incentives to encourage more doctors to work in regional areas like ours.
“This data shows that local people on the South Coast are finding it easier to see a bulk billing doctor because of Labor’s efforts to strengthen Medicare.
“Health is a key focus of mine and I will continue working hard every day to deliver these tangible improvements for our community – improving cost of living, taking pressure off our hospital system and supporting local doctors.”
