From 1 November 2025, Australia will make a significant shift in GP funding in years. Bulk-billing incentives will extend to all Medicare-eligible patients and a new Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program (BBPIP) will reward clinics that bulk bill every eligible service for every patient with an additional 12.5% quarterly payment. Together, these measures aim to make it financially viable to bulk bill more patients and strengthen access to general practice care (Department of Health).
Key Summary
- Eligibility expands: From 1 Nov 2025, all Medicare-eligible patients trigger bulk-billing incentives when their GP bulk bills an eligible service (Department of Health).
- New practice incentive: BBPIP adds a 12.5% quarterly incentive (split 50/50 between the GP and the practice) for clinics that bulk bill every eligible service for every patient (Department of Health).
- Rural loadings continue: Incentive amounts scale up by location under the Modified Monash Model (MM2–MM7 ~150%–190% of metro levels) (Department of Health).
- Modelled uplift: Government modelling shows higher GP billings and earnings after 1 Nov 2025, with the largest increases where practices fully bulk bill (Impact on GP earnings fact sheet (PDF)).
Summary note: From 1 November 2025, expanding eligibility for bulk-billing incentives and introducing BBPIP are designed to improve affordability for patients and provide clearer financial signals for clinics and GPs to bulk bill more services.
What Changes on 1 November 2025
There are two core changes. First, all Medicare-eligible patients become eligible for bulk-billing incentives when their GP bulk bills an eligible service. Incentive values vary by service and location and are scaled higher in regional, rural and remote areas using the Modified Monash Model—approximately 150% in MM2, 160% in MM3–4, 170% in MM5, 180% in MM6 and 190% in MM7 compared with metro MM1 (Department of Health).
Secondly, the Government will launch the Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program (BBPIP), which provides an additional quarterly 12.5% incentive (evenly shared between the GP and the practice) for clinics that bulk bill every eligible service for every patient. This payment is in addition to standard MBS benefits and any applicable bulk-billing incentives (Department of Health).
How BBPIP Works: Eligibility, Registration and Payment
Eligibility & obligation: To receive BBPIP, practices must bulk bill every eligible service for every patient. The BBPIP incentive is paid quarterly at 12.5% on every dollar of MBS benefit from eligible services and is split 50/50 between the GP and the practice (Department of Health).
Registration: Practices must be MyMedicare registered and will need to register for BBPIP via MyMedicare. Practices not already MyMedicare-registered can access an accreditation exemption to participate. Registration for BBPIP will be available from 1 November 2025. BBPIP is an addition to, not a replacement for, the expanded bulk-billing incentives available to all patients (Department of Health).
What It Means for GP Candidates and Practices
Government modelling indicates that from 1 November 2025, GP billings and earnings rise across the board if billing patterns are maintained. In metropolitan practices (MM1), the fact sheet models annual GP earnings of $398,448 on average bulk billing and $403,805 with full bulk billing. In rural MM3–4 settings, the model shows $433,851 on average bulk billing and $457,816 with full bulk billing. The larger rural figures reflect higher incentive scaling (Impact on GP earnings fact sheet (PDF)).
For GP candidates, this may translate to more roles offering bulk-billing arrangements, clearer remuneration signals, and a stronger case for full-bulk-billing models in rural and regional areas. For practice owners, BBPIP plus the expanded incentives can improve the position of practices that commit to universal bulk billing; the fact sheet explains the assumptions used to model changes in practice revenue and GP earnings and why higher bulk-billing rates yield greater uplift (Impact on GP earnings fact sheet (PDF)).
Conclusion
The 1 November 2025 reforms expand bulk-billing incentives to every Medicare-eligible patient and add a new practice-level incentive for clinics that fully bulk bill. With higher incentive rates in regional and remote areas and a 12.5% practice incentive on top of MBS benefits, the Government’s modelling suggests improved financial settings for both GPs and practices that embrace bulk billing.
Practices should prepare their MyMedicare and BBPIP registrations and align billing workflows and communications, while GPs can factor the new incentives and rural loadings into role selection and remuneration discussions.
Disclaimer: This blog is intended as a general overview of the topic and should not be construed as professional legal or medical advice.
FAQs
- What exactly changes on 1 November 2025?
All Medicare-eligible patients become eligible for bulk-billing incentives, and the Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program (BBPIP) begins for practices that bulk bill every eligible service for every patient (Department of Health).
- How does BBPIP pay the 12.5% incentive?
BBPIP pays a quarterly 12.5% incentive on eligible MBS benefits and splits it evenly (50/50) between the GP and the practice, provided every eligible service is bulk billed for every patient (Department of Health).
- Do practices need to register?
Yes. Practices must be registered for MyMedicare and then register for BBPIP via MyMedicare. Practices not already MyMedicare-registered can access an accreditation exemption. Registration opens on 1 November 2025 (Department of Health).
- Do rural and remote areas receive higher incentives?
Yes. Incentives scale by location under the Modified Monash Model—approximately 150% (MM2) up to 190% (MM7) of metro levels (Department of Health).
- How might GP earnings change?
The Government’s fact sheet models higher earnings from 1 November 2025. Indicatively, annual GP earnings are modelled at $398,448 (metro, average bulk billing) rising to $403,805 with full bulk billing; and $433,851 to $457,816 in rural MM3–4 (Impact on GP earnings fact sheet (PDF)).
