4 out of 5 health economists want universal bulk-billing
One health economist — Professor Yuting Zhang — said a "price signal" of a general $20-$30 gap fee should remain in place.
Four health economists have told the government to push for universal GP bulk-billing, as statistics that 20% of practices bulk-bill all patients continue to dominate the media.
The academics have stressed that it would mean the Federal Government upping health funding hugely — rather than GPs moving to bulk-billing in Medicare’s current state.
However, it still goes against the view of many GPs that mass bulk-billing undermined the specialty’s ability to fight for itself.
The health economists expressed their views in a Conversation piece, following the report by the business Cleanbill that universal bulk-billing had gone from 25% of GP practices to 20% in a year.
