Changes to bulk billing incentives from 1 November 2025 will expand the eligibility of bulk billing incentives to all Australians with a Medicare card.
What’s changing
Changes to bulk billing incentives from 1 November 2025 will expand the eligibility of bulkbilling incentives to all Australians with a Medicare card. While this interrelates with BBPIP, it is separate and does not require the practice to be registered for BBPIP.
Currently, general practitioners (GPs) only receive Medicare bulk billing incentives if they bulk bill children under 16 years of age and Commonwealth concession card holders.
What’s new
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. Participation in BBPIP is voluntary.
Non-negotiables of BBPIP
- All General Practitioner Non-Referred Attendances (GPNRA) services must be bulk billed.
- All Medicare-eligible patients must receive bulk billing for those services.
- All GPs in the practice must comply – if one GP charges privately for eligible services, the entire practice loses access.
Signage is also required as part of the program, and practices need to indicate bulkbilling intentions on Healthdrect.
While the practice must be registered for MyMedicare, it is not mandatory for patients to be registered for MyMedicare.
Services you can still bill for
- Other services not on the BBPIP-eligible items list.
- Non-Medicare services (such as cosmetic procedures, employment medicals, insurance reports)
- Services for non-Medicare eligible patients (e.g. overseas visitors and students)
Practices are encouraged to establish a clear policy, communicated to patients prior to booking, that outlines which services are not eligible for bulk billing, helping to prevent misunderstandings.
How to Register
- Registration will be available through the Organisation Register starting 1 November 2025.
- Ensure you have submitted the EOI and have BBPIP Signage displayed.
Bulk Billing Incentives Calculator
A new calculator has been released to estimate annual earnings from Medicare bulk billing incentives (BBIs) and the new Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program (BBPIP).
- The calculator uses BBPIP eligible services only.
- It uses data to build an average annual provider and practice payment estimate for BBPIP eligible services for your practice type and location.
