Health Minister Mark Butler says Australians are reaping the benefits of record investment in Medicare after revealing bulk billing rates were increasing ahead of schedule.<\/p>\n
The national rate rose to 84.1 per cent for the June 2026 quarter, a rise of almost five percentage points on the same time last year.<\/p>\n
While the government says numbers have grown across every state and territory, patients aged between 16 and 64 saw the biggest increase \u2014 up more than 8 per cent to 78.6 per cent.<\/p>\n
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cOur government is delivering more bulk billing to more Australians,\u201d Butler said.<\/p>\n \u201cAcross the country more and more GP practices are becoming fully bulk billing clinics meaning all patients need is their Medicare card, not their credit card.
<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s good for patients hip pockets and good for their health.\u201d<\/p>\n The Northern Territory is now more than 90.8 per cent bulk billed, with the ACT (59.3 per cent) the only jurisdiction tracking at less than 75 per cent.<\/p>\n The national numbersNSW 87.5 per cent (up 4.1 percentage points)Victoria 85.7 per cent (up 5.7 percentage points)Queensland 82 per cent (up 4.7 percentage points)South Australia 82.5 per cent (up 6.0 percentage points)Western Australia 76.8 per cent (up 4.8 percentage points)Tasmania 80.8 per cent (up 5.5 percentage points)Northern Territory 90.8 per cent (up 13.0 percentage points)ACT 59.3 per cent (up 2.4 percentage points).<\/p>\n Meet the 21-year-old on a mission to become Australia\u2019s first blind doctor<\/p>\n 1 min read<\/p>\n