Medical clinics in the Australian Capital Territory are experiencing an unprecedented influx of new patients, driven by a major federal government policy shift designed to make healthcare more affordable. The surge follows the introduction of new financial incentives for general practitioners who bulk-bill, effectively removing out-of-pocket costs for patients.
A Clinic Overwhelmed by Demand
The impact on the ground has been immediate and significant. One Canberra practice, the Jamison Medical and Skin Cancer Clinic, has registered around a hundred new patients in the three months since it switched to a fully bulk-billing model. Clinic owner and manager Ruki Peiris described the situation as overwhelming, with the existing two full-time doctors now seeing approximately 40 patients each per day.
To manage this dramatic increase in demand, the clinic is pursuing an expansion plan. "We are looking to get more doctors," Mr Peiris stated, revealing that the practice has applied to a recruitment agency in the United Kingdom to bring in two overseas-trained doctors. The goal is to extend operating hours to seven days a week to cope with the patient load.
Recruitment Hurdles and a National Disparity
However, recruiting international medical staff to Canberra presents specific challenges. Mr Peiris highlighted a key barrier: some doctors arriving from abroad must commit to working in regional or rural Australia to obtain their Australian qualifications. Despite its 'Bush Capital' moniker, Canberra does not qualify under these rules, complicating recruitment efforts.
This local struggle for doctors unfolds against a national backdrop where the ACT continues to lag in bulk-billing availability. According to research from Cleanbill, which monitors GP services across the country, only 11.5 per cent of the ACT's 101 clinics now offer bulk-billing. While this is a notable increase from 3.3 per cent in 2025, it remains the lowest rate in the nation.
For comparison, the national average sits at 40 per cent (four in ten clinics). Western Australia has the next lowest rate at 30 per cent, while in New South Wales about half of all clinics bulk-bill.
Government Response and the Cost of Care
The federal Albanese government, which introduced the revamped incentives on November 1, 2025, has welcomed the growth. The $8.5 billion initiative now pays GPs a bulk-billing incentive for every patient, not just children and concession card holders as was previously the case. The government's target is for nine out of every ten GP visits to be bulk-billed by 2030.
Health Minister Mark Butler acknowledged the need for more progress in specific areas like Canberra. "There are areas in the country where the Government will look to deliver further initiatives to boost bulk-billing to meet the needs of the community. An example is Canberra," he said, promising more, though unspecified, support.
ACT Independent Senator David Pocock echoed the call for faster action, stating that while growth is positive, it's "unacceptable that the ACT's GP bulk-billing rate remains so far below other jurisdictions."
The financial pressure on Canberra patients remains high. Cleanbill data shows the average out-of-pocket cost for a standard consultation in the ACT is $57.96, a 12 per cent annual increase. Combined with the Medicare rebate of $43.90, the total cost exceeds $100. This fee is about $10 higher than in any other jurisdiction except Tasmania.
Analysts suggest one reason for higher charges in smaller jurisdictions like the ACT and Tasmania is a lack of economies of scale, where administrative costs are spread over fewer patients per clinic.
Of the limited number of fully bulk-billing practices in the ACT, several cater to specific vulnerable groups, including refugees, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients, and people with dependencies, highlighting the ongoing gap in accessible general care for the broader Canberra community.
