West Australian GPs have one of the lowest bulk billing rates in the country, according to a new independent analysis.
But the State has one of the highest GP availability rates for new patients and offers some of the most affordable care, new data from healthcare directory Cleanbill suggests.
The 2025 Cleanbill Blue report found only 6.2% of WA GPs are bulk-billing patients without concessions.
The report showed that only the ACT and Tasmania had lower rates at 3.3% and 0% respectively.
Cleanbill formulated its bulk billing data by calling practices find out if they bulk billed new adult patients without concessions and then divided the number of those practices by the total number in the area. However, this method relies on GP clinics making pricing information available.
The figures are vastly different to Federal Government figures released in November last year, which showed total bulk billing (including children and concession holders) in WA was up from 68.4% to 70%. Nationally total bulk billing rates were up 1.7% to 77.3%.
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners President Dr Michael Wright said the government must urgently increase Medicare funding to support more bulk billing and reduce out-of-pocket costs.
The College been calling for an increase in patient rebates, particularly for longer consultations needed to manage chronic and complex illnesses.
“All Australians need affordable access to a GP who knows them,” Dr Wright said.
“With a federal election fast approaching, we should be seeing bold commitments from all political parties to achieve this.
“With proper investment in Medicare we can increase bulk billing and reduce out-of-pocket costs for people who aren’t being bulk billed. Both of these things are crucial.
“We know funding works. Government data and the RACGP’s Health of the Nation report have shown the tripling of incentives has helped GPs bulk bill more children and concession card holders, particularly in rural and remote areas where the incentives are highest.
“But most Australians aren’t eligible for higher incentives and they’re missing out.”
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While Cleanbill’s figures suggest WA’s bulk billing figures are low, it also found the State was one of the most affordable when it comes to GP care.
The report found that average out-of-pocket expenses in WA were $42.66, the third lowest nationally behind Victoria and South Australia.
Comparatively, the highest average costs nationally were recorded in the ACT at $51.84 and Tasmania at $54.26.
Dr Wright added: “GP clinics are under pressure after decades of underinvestment and the Medicare freeze.
“Today’s patient rebates don’t come close to the cost of care, so people are paying more out-of-pocket, and it’s harder for GPs to bulk bill. On top of this, practices have been hit by inflation like everyone.”
Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler questioned the report’s methodology and said the government had tripled the bulk billing incentive in late 2023.
However, he said the number of general practices that were bulk billing all patients had declined.
“What we have done is making a meaningful difference, but there is more we need to do to keep climbing those rates of bulk billing,” he said in an interview on ABC radio.
“I want to see more free Medicare services than there are now. I want to see more improvements to deliver a stronger Medicare for the future.”