Bulk Billing FAQ

Bulk billing means your doctor bills Medicare directly for your visit, and you pay nothing out of pocket. Medicare pays the doctor 100% of the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) fee for that service.

Your doctor must be registered with Medicare and choose to accept the MBS fee as full payment. Not every doctor bulk bills every patient. Some clinics bulk bill everyone, some only bulk bill concession card holders or children under 16, and some don't bulk bill at all.

You will need your Medicare card at the appointment. The doctor's practice handles all the paperwork and claims electronically on the spot.

Start by calling clinics in your area and asking directly whether they bulk bill. The healthdirect Service Finder (healthdirect.gov.au) lets you search by postcode and filter for bulk billing practices.

You can also use the bulkbill.ai checker tool on our homepage to see how commonly your procedure type is bulk billed in your suburb. Keep in mind that bulk billing policies change frequently. A clinic that bulk billed last year might not bulk bill today. Always confirm before booking.

Any service listed on the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) can technically be bulk billed. In practice, the most commonly bulk billed services are standard GP consultations (around $41.40 for a Level B consult), pathology such as blood tests, diagnostic imaging like basic X-rays, vaccinations on the National Immunisation Program, mental health care plans, chronic disease management plans, and health assessments for patients aged 75 and over.

Specialist appointments, elective procedures, and longer or more complex consultations are less commonly bulk billed. The doctor decides whether to bulk bill on a case-by-case basis.

With bulk billing, you pay $0. The doctor accepts the Medicare rebate as full payment. With private billing, the doctor charges more than the Medicare rebate. You pay the full fee upfront, then claim the Medicare rebate back. The difference between what the doctor charges and what Medicare rebates is called the "gap" - and that gap comes out of your pocket.

For example, if a GP charges $85 for a standard consult and the Medicare rebate is $41.40, your gap is $43.60. Some clinics offer a mixed model where they bulk bill certain patients (pensioners, children, healthcare card holders) and privately bill others.

Yes, in most cases. Many clinics that don't bulk bill the general public will still bulk bill patients holding a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, Health Care Card, or Pensioner Concession Card. Children under 16 with a Medicare card also receive priority bulk billing at many practices.

The Australian Government introduced bulk billing incentive payments in November 2023, tripling the incentive for GPs who bulk bill concession card holders and children under 16. This made it financially viable for more clinics to bulk bill these groups.

When you call to book, mention your concession card upfront so the receptionist can confirm whether the clinic bulk bills for your category.

Telehealth appointments can be bulk billed, but not all doctors choose to do so. Medicare made telehealth MBS items permanent after the COVID-19 pandemic, covering phone and video consultations with GPs, specialists, and mental health professionals.

The same rules apply as in-person visits: the doctor decides whether to bulk bill or privately bill. Phone consults are generally more likely to be bulk billed than video consults, as the MBS fee is lower and doctors are more willing to accept it as full payment.

You must have an existing relationship with the GP (seen them in the past 12 months) to be eligible for a telehealth Medicare rebate. Ask the practice about their telehealth billing policy when you book.