Our Medicare Is Collapsing
Join Our Fight For Free Universal Healthcare
Or We Will Lose It
What is Medicare Bulk Billing?
Bulk Billing is a free universal healthcare service for all Australians [1]. Our Bulk Billing system allows you to visit your General Practitioner (GP) without the need to pay their service fee.
When you visit a Bulk Billing GP, their service fee is covered by Medicare, funded by taxpayer. Every Australian may visit a Bulk Billed doctor, and for the most vulnerable members of our society this is a lifeline to essential healthcare.
When you visit a Bulk Billing GP, their service fee is covered by Medicare, funded by taxpayer. Every Australian may visit a Bulk Billed doctor, and for the most vulnerable members of our society this is a lifeline to essential healthcare.
Why is Medicare Bulk Billing disappearing?
In the last 12 months, almost 40% of GPs have stopped or reduced their Bulk Billed services due to inadequate funding by Medicare [2]. Medicare funding for Bulk Billing has not kept in pace with inflation and rising medical costs, which means for most cases it is no longer adequately covers GP basic business costs and service fees.
Hundreds of medical clinics who continue to offer Bulk Billing are struggling to remain open - this will leave vulnerable Australians without access to basic healthcare.
Hundreds of medical clinics who continue to offer Bulk Billing are struggling to remain open - this will leave vulnerable Australians without access to basic healthcare.
Why should you care?
Free and easy accessibility to primary care (i.e. regular GP visits) can help produce better health outcomes [3], such as:
- Lower rates of all causes of mortality (e.g. heart disease, cancer, stroke)
- Increased life expectancy
- Better mental health
Early screening and diagnosis of health issues helps to prevent more expensive and painful procedures at later stages of illness, such as cancer.
A lack of prevention or early intervention often results in greater strain on our medical resources and hospitals, in turn costing the government and taxpayers more money.
A lack of prevention or early intervention often results in greater strain on our medical resources and hospitals, in turn costing the government and taxpayers more money.
What happens if Bulk Billing is no longer available?
If Australia's Bulk Billing model collapses, the cost of gap payment will increase in orders of magnitudes. Australians will see even greater levels of privatisation within our healthcare system. Expensive private health insurance may be required even for the most basic of doctor's appointments.
Heavy privatisation will see Australia's healthcare system evolve towards a model that resembles the United States of America, where healthcare costs multiple times more than Australia, but with below average life expectancy [4].
For those who could not afford expensive insurance would have to risk their chance in over-crowded Emergency Department and wait for hours for medical assistance.
Heavy privatisation will see Australia's healthcare system evolve towards a model that resembles the United States of America, where healthcare costs multiple times more than Australia, but with below average life expectancy [4].
For those who could not afford expensive insurance would have to risk their chance in over-crowded Emergency Department and wait for hours for medical assistance.
We need your help.
Contact your local representative to voice your concerns.
Contact your local representative to voice your concerns.
We need to fight for universal healthcare for all, otherwise we will lose it.