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Share of fully bulk billing GPs doubles in Health of the Nation, but RACGP warns some patients facing higher out-of-pocket costs

Royal Australian College of GPs

New data from the RACGP’s 2026 Health of the Nation report shows recent government investment in general practice is significantly increasing access to bulk billed specialist GP care as fewer Australians delay visits to their GP due to cost.

However, the RACGP has warned that further funding is needed to ensure all patients can access the care they need, particularly through longer consultations for complex health issues.

RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said the findings demonstrate that targeted investment in general practice can make a real difference for patients.

“We're seeing encouraging signs that the Government’s recent $8 billion investment in general practice is making an impact,” Dr Wright said.

More GPs are bulk billing all their patients, with the proportion more than doubling in a year – from 12% in 2025 to 26% in 2026.

Almost two-thirds of Australians are now bulk billed for all their general practice care, up from 56% in both 2024 and 2025.

“The 2026 Health of the Nation report also found the proportion of Australians delaying GP care due to cost fell from 8.8% to 7.7% between 2023–24 and 2024–25, indicating greater affordability across the healthcare system. For those patients who have a preferred GP, more than two in three were always able to see them when needed.

“These are positive outcomes and show that when governments invest in general practice, patients benefit. Funding gets results”

However, Dr Wright said policymakers should look beyond headline bulk-billing figures when evaluating the success of healthcare reforms.

“We can't measure success solely by bulk billing rates,” he said.

“While we're heading in the right direction, there is a risk that inequities could emerge between communities if some patients continue facing higher out-of-pocket costs or reduced access to care.

“We need to make sure we are reaching all Australians and covering all of their essential healthcare needs. This means improving affordability by ensuring Medicare patient rebates reflect the real costs of providing care for complex and chronic conditions.

“So, we are calling on the Federal Government to increase patient Medicare rebates for longer consultations.

“We are also recommending the Government establish an independent primary care pricing authority to ensure Medicare funding reflects the true cost of delivering care.

Every year more than 22 million Australians choose to see a specialist GP for their essential health care, making GPs the most accessed medical professional in the health system. Investment in primary care improves access for patients and reduces pressure on hospitals.

“We have seen that investment works; when funding covers the cost of care, GPs, patients and the health system all flourish.

“The challenge now is ensuring funding keeps pace with the growing complexity of patient care.

“By better supporting longer consultations and introducing a transparent approach to pricing primary care services, we can build on the progress already made and ensure all Australians have access to high-quality, affordable general practice care close to home.”

~ENDS

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The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is the voice of general practitioners (GPs) in our growing cities and throughout rural and remote Australia. For more than 60 years, we’ve supported the backbone of Australia’s health system by setting the standards for education and practice and advocating for better health and wellbeing for all Australians.

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