Northern Territory largest drop in bulk billing rates across the nation

ABC NEWS (Australia)

A growing number of people are being impacted by declining options for affordable healthcare. New data shows the Northern Territory has experienced the steepest decline in bulk billing services anywhere in the country.

Transcript

00:00It's a sign you don't often see these days in the Northern Territory.

00:07How difficult is it to get a bulk build appointment in the Northern Territory at the moment?

00:10Well, you can't.

00:11Would you even know where to go to get a fully bulk build appointment these days?

00:14No idea.

00:15I don't think there's many about, is there?

00:17No, there aren't, and new data backs this up.

00:21Online GP tracker CleanBill looked at 44 clinics across the NT and found as of January this

00:27year just 9.5% offer bulk billing to all patients.

00:33That's down 10% since the start of 2024, the steepest decline of all states and territories

00:39in the country.

00:40The average out-of-pocket cost to see a doctor in the NT is $43.86, up 7% from the year before.

00:49The NT now the fourth most expensive place to see a doctor in Australia, behind Tasmania,

00:55the ACT and New South Wales.

00:58You've gone from having one in every five GP clinics across the territory bulk billing

01:02those adults to one in every ten, fewer than one in every ten.

01:05For some, it's not just the cost.

01:07I try and avoid doctors like the plague because it's never any good news once you get over

01:1455.

01:15The Australian Medical Association says a downturn in affordable healthcare is having

01:20a real impact on an already overburdened hospital system.

01:24Not only are more people turning to emergency departments like this one to avoid the cost

01:29of visiting a doctor, they're also leaving often serious medical issues unchecked, leading

01:35to longer stays in hospital later on.

01:37Instead of having a day or two admission, you end up spending a week in hospital.

01:42So it just adds to further pressure.

01:44Dr Parker says efforts to increase Medicare rebates aren't having the desired impact.

01:50GP practices are in essence businesses.

01:54You've got to pay staff, you've got to pay rent, practice costs.

01:57The AMA says a possible solution could be establishing more urgent care clinics and

02:02providing extra funding for clinics who manage patients with chronic illness.

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