Overview
- Cleanbill’s January 2026 Blue Report, based on contacts with about 6,900 clinics from 1 November to mid-December, finds 40.2% now fully bulk bill standard weekday consultations for new adult patients.
- Average out-of-pocket costs for patients who are not bulk billed have risen to roughly $49 nationally, with New South Wales above $50 and Queensland at about $48.58.
- Jurisdictional gaps persist: only 11.1% of ACT clinics fully bulk bill with average standard consult fees near $100, Tasmania’s average out-of-pocket is $60.76, and Western Australia is lowest at $46.63.
- Health Minister Mark Butler says parts of Cleanbill’s data should not be relied upon because non-responding clinics were excluded, and he cites more than 3,200 practices switching to full bulk billing since 1 November and about 7,500 MyMedicare registrations.
- GP bodies welcome increased availability but warn rebates have not kept pace with longer, more complex consultations, urging more funding for extended visits as a 12.5% incentive boosts full bulk billing.