
Bulk Billing Incentives
Strengthening Medicare with more bulk billing from 1 Nov 2025.
The Australian Government is investing $7.9 billion to expand eligibility for bulk billing incentives to all Australians and establish the Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program to support general practices to bulk bill all patients. Making all Australians eligible for MBS bulk billing incentive payments will support doctors to continue to bulk bill Australians, improving access to general practice care for all Australians.
There are 2 parts to the upcoming changes to Bulk Billing Incentives in General Practice, from 1 November 2025:
- Expanding eligibility for bulk billing incentives
- Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program (the Program)
Expanded eligibility for MBS bulk billing incentives
From 1 November 2025, all Medicare-eligible patients will be eligible for bulk billing incentives.
Medicare pays a bulk billing incentive when a medical practitioner bulk bills an eligible patient for an eligible service. This is to support GPs to bulk bill their patients.
The value of MBS bulk billing incentives depends on the service provided and the location.
Bulk billing incentives are scaled and increase in regional, rural and remote communities, as determined using the Modified Monash Model location classification. Bulk billed items are scaled approximately as follows:
- Modified Monash 2 locations – 150% of value of bulk billed items in metro locations (Modified Monash 1)
- Modified Monash 3-4 locations – 160%
- Modified Monash 5 locations – 170%
- Modified Monash 6 locations – 180%
- Modified Monash 7 locations – 190%
Bulk billing incentive payments are currently available under the MBS to medical practitioners that bulk bill:
- children under 16 years of age and
- patients with a Commonwealth concession card.
The new Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program
From 1 November 2025, the Australian Government will support thousands of general practices to bulk bill every patient, with the launch of the new Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program (the Program). Practices participating in the program will receive an additional 12.5% incentive payment on every $1 of MBS benefit earned from eligible services, split 50/50 between the GP and the practice. This incentive payment will be in addition to MBS Benefits paid (including bulk billing incentives).
Every doctor at participating practices must bulk bill every eligible service for every patient, to receive the incentive payment.
To participate in the Program, practices will need to:
- Bulk bill all eligible services
- Advertise their participation in the Program
- Be MyMedicare registered (note that practices that are not already MyMedicare registered and wish to participate in the Program will be exempt from MyMedicare accreditation requirements).
A new calculator is available, so practice managers and GPs can more accurately estimate the financial impact of adopting a fully bulk billing model. The calculator provides practice managers and GPs with income estimates based on their consultation mix, current billing model, location, and concessional patient proportion to support decision-making by comparing different scenarios. The User Guide explains how to use the calculator and there is a video explaining the modelling behind the calculator.
The RACGP has materials available for practices who wish to continue to operate a mixed billing model to help them plan and communicate their billing arrangements to patients.
To register in the Program
Practices will need to complete an Expression of Interest form with the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing to participate in BBPIP. When a practice expresses interest, they can request a communications pack that includes posters for the waiting room and signage for the practice that all consultations are now bulk-billed (for them to use after 1 November 2025). Expressing interest does not commit a practice to participating in BBPIP. Practices will be able to register for BBPIP with Services Australia from 1 November 2025.
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webinar
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link
Department of Health, Disability and Ageing webinar: understanding bulk billing changes
other resources
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link
Frequently asked questions for practices and providers
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document
BBPIP practice readiness checklist
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link
Bulk billing incentive program: eligible MBS services
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link
Bulk billing incentives calculator: a user guide for practices
Medicare and DVA
