New Bulk Billing Incentives Calculator released

Changes to bulk billing incentives from 1 November 2025 will expand the eligibility of bulk billing incentives to all Australians with a Medicare card.

Currently, general practitioners (GPs) only receive Medicare bulk billing incentives if they bulk bill children under 16 years old and Commonwealth concession card holders.

Additionally, from 1 November 2025, practices can choose to register and participate in the Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program (BBPIP) and will equally share in the additional incentive payment of 12.5% of MBS billings for eligible services.

A new calculator has been released for general practice owners, managers and individual general practitioners to estimate annual earnings from Medicare bulk billing incentives (BBIs) and the new Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program (BBPIP), starting 1 November 2025. Access to the Bulk Billing Incentives Calculator can be obtained here.

A Bulk Billing Incentives Calculator User Guide is also available explaining how to use the calculator.

The calculator uses MBS information about BBPIP MBS eligible services only. It uses data to build an average annual provider and practice payment estimate for BBPIP MBS eligible services for your practice type and location. The payment model can be used as a baseline to estimate if you will benefit from joining BBPIP.

To get the most accurate estimate, have these details handy before you commence using the calculator:

• Select your role as a general practitioner (GP) or a practice manager (or equivalent)
• Practice location by Modified Monash Model (MMM) classification
• Percentage of billings paid to the practice
• Billing type – bulk billing only, mixed billing or private billing
• Numberof BBPIP MBS eligible services provided per year
• Percentage of BBPIP MBS eligible services provided to concession card holders or children under 16 years old
• Your bulk billing rates, average privately billed fees and annual proportion of BBPIP MBS eligible service types, including:
  • Short (level A)
  • Standard (level B)
  • Long (level C)
  • Extended/Prolonged (level D/E)
  • Management plans and reviews
  • Other BBPIP MBS eligible services

These details can be found in your practice management system. Please refer to the User Guide for step-by-step instructions to support use of the calculator. 

Additional resources including fact sheets and videos are available at Strengthening Medicare with more bulk billing resources | Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.

An Expression of Interest (EOI) form is also available here for providers that intend to join the Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program. Practices that complete the EOI form will be mailed communications material for their practice to display from 1 November when they register for BBPIP.

Further details and instructions on how to register in BBPIP will be provided later this year, and registration for BBPIP will be available from 1 November 2025.

To participate in BBBPIP, practices will need to be registered for MyMedicare. Instructions on how to register for MyMedicare are available on the Services Australia Health Professional Education Resources website.

Participation in BBPIP is voluntary for practices. If a practice chooses to participate, all general practitioners at that practice must bulk bill all eligible services. For practices continuing to operate a mixed billing model, the RACGP has materials for practices to help them plan and communicate their billing arrangements to patients.

• RACGP – Optimising your billing strategy
• RACGP – Guide to introducing mixed billing in your practice

For further general support on MyMedicare please contact CESPHNs Practice Support Team at practicesupport@cesphn.com.au