Meanwhile, evidence is showing that converting to universal bulk billing does not necessarily change service mix.
The number of patients registered with MyMedicare doubled over the last financial year, with close to $200 million in bulk billing practice incentive payments paid out in the first half of 2026.
According to the Services Australia annual report for 2025-26, MyMedicare patient registrations increased from 3.2 million in 2024-25 to 6.5 million in 2025-26, with 7600 GP clinics now participating in the voluntary patient enrolment scheme.
The government’s newly-introduced Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program, whereby clinics received an additional 12.5% incentive payment on MBS benefits in exchange for agreeing to bulk bill all patients, required participating practices to register with MyMedicare.
It came into effect in November 2025, and in the eight months to 30 June 2026, $192.3 million was paid out to 3600 practices through the scheme.
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Even though it had been running for less than a year, the amount of money paid out through the BB PIP was equal to almost half of the money paid out through the regular Practice Incentives Program.
Through the PIP, $429 million was paid out to 6800 participating practices.
This was not including the Workforce Incentive Program, under which $545.7 million was paid out to 6200 practices via the practice stream, and $132 million was paid out to 8800 practitioners via the doctor stream.
Another $16.9 million was distributed to 1400 doctors via the Workforce Incentive Program – Rural Advanced Skills stream.
Speaking at the ACRRM and Rural Doctors Association of Australia conference on Saturday, DoHDA director of bulk billing clinics – stakeholder management Jacob Grooby said early evidence from the BBPIP had been positive, in terms of service patterns.
“The [1500] practices that have gone from mixed billing … to bulk billing, are actually doing 0.4 fewer services a day,” he said.
“That’s not statistically significant in any way, but it’s just to say that they’re not going and doing 20 more services a day to make the same amount of money.”
He also sought to dispel the rumour that universal bulk billing resulted in lower quality care.
“We’ve heard a lot about how bulk billing practices rush patients through or churn care, etcetera, but it’s not coming through in service mix differences,” Mr Grooby said.
“There are slightly more level Bs done at a bulk billing practice … and they do fewer level As than a mixed billing practice. Also, slightly fewer level Cs.
“There is a difference. I’m not saying that it is identical, but it’s not a gaping chasm between the service mixes.”
RMA26 was held at the Adelaide Convention Centre between 22 and 24 October.
