Newcastle to Benefit from New Bulk-Billing Support Initiative

4 September 2024

Chris Minns

Newcastle residents are set to benefit from the Minns Government’s $189 million Bulk-Billing Support Initiative, which commenced today, offering cost-of-living relief for households across New South Wales. The program, introduced in the 2024/25 NSW Budget, aims to keep GP services affordable and accessible by protecting bulk-billing rates across the state.

The initiative marks the first time the NSW Government has directly intervened to safeguard bulk-billing rates. It includes an ongoing payroll rebate for GP clinics that meet bulk-billing thresholds—80% of services in metropolitan Sydney and 70% in regional areas like Newcastle. This move is expected to ease the strain on emergency departments by ensuring more patients can see a GP without out-of-pocket expenses.

Minister for Health Ryan Park highlighted the importance of this initiative, stating, “With GPs becoming more difficult to access, people are either putting off seeing a doctor and allowing their conditions to deteriorate, or they are presenting to hospitals with non-urgent conditions. The Bulk-Billing Support Initiative will stem declining bulk-billing rates, foster greater access to GPs, and in turn, relieve pressure on our busy hospitals.”

The initiative also offers significant financial relief by waiving $104 million in historical payroll tax liabilities that began accruing under the previous government for contractor GPs. For large clinic networks such as ForHealth, which operates 37 clinics across NSW, including in Newcastle, this initiative will help maintain high bulk-billing rates and ensure continued service to their communities.

Andrew Cohen, CEO of ForHealth, expressed his support, stating, “This initiative from the NSW Government will help protect bulk billing accessibility at clinics like ours throughout outer metropolitan and regional NSW. In many of these practices, we are expecting the level of bulk-billing to increase as a result.”

The NSW Health Department estimates that even a 1% decrease in bulk-billing could lead to an additional 3,000 emergency presentations. By maintaining and improving bulk-billing rates, the initiative aims to prevent unnecessary strain on emergency services and ensure that Newcastle residents have access to affordable healthcare.

The government’s engagement with the AMA, RACGP, and other stakeholders has been pivotal in shaping this initiative. Minister for Finance Courtney Houssos emphasized the collaborative approach taken, noting, “The Bulk-Billing Support Initiative comes after extensive consultation and cooperation with the peak bodies to deliver a solution that alleviated financial stress for GP clinics and delivered real cost-of-living relief for families.”

This initiative is expected to have a lasting impact on the availability and affordability of GP services in Newcastle, ensuring that families and households can continue to access the care they need without financial burden.