Bulk vs Private Billing practice – which should you choose?

If you are considering a move Down Under, or have already booked your tickets to take up a rewarding GP role, you will probably be aware of the two kinds of payments here in Australia – private and bulk billing. Getting your head around these can be a challenge when you first arrive and have significant bearing on the practice you choose to work in.

There are many common misconceptions about the differences in these systems – so let’s take a look at the differences between bulk and private billing, and which you should choose when you start your Australian GP career.

What is bulk billing?
In Australia, government-funded healthcare provision is covered under the Medicare scheme. This is free for Australian citizens and certain other groups, and Medicare members are required to present a card at time of billing to access the service.

When you bill a Medicare patient for your consultation or other medical services, the payment is processed through their Medicare card. The government will then reimburse your practice the full fee, and a percentage will be passed back to you. Sixty five to seventy five is the standard, but you can negotiate this.

What is private billing?
Private billing, also known as mixed billing, refers to patients who pay for medical services at their own expense. This can be split proportionately with Medicare payment, and the ‘top up’ fee covered either through private payment or by an insurance provider.

What are the common misconceptions?
Before you move to Australia, you may hear all kinds of misconceptions and inaccuracies about these payment systems and the practices that use them:

• All bulk billing practices attract lower socio-economic patients. This is untrue. In fact, many bulk billing practices deal with very affluent patients due to the convenience of having a ‘no appointments’ system.
• Private doctors have to deal with more minor medical cases. This is a misconception  – doctors in both systems will experience a range of patient conditions.
• Private billing doctors earn more than bulk billing doctors. The stereotype of the thankless doctor toiling away for less in the bulk billing clinic is highly inaccurate. We have medical practices of all kinds from all over the country on our books, and there is no data to support that claim.

The advantages of bulk billing
There are a couple of key advantages to undertaking GP work at a bulk billing practice, such as:

• Doctors who provide numerous consultations and prescribe a number of medicines are often considered to be highly proficient. Bulk billing medical work on your CV is well-respected by employers.
• For complicated consultations or other unusual expenses, doctors can still charge an additional rate to their patients. This can be reclaimed from Medicare by patients later, but it ensures you don’t go out of pocket in the meantime.

The advantages of private billing
If you think a private billing clinic may suit you better, there are the following advantages:

• Private billing doctors tend to have a more stable pool of repeat patients, meaning you can develop good personal relationships during consultation and gain a better idea of your patient’s medical history.
• Practices that use private billing often have a lower daily patient intake. With the pressure to get patients in and out the door quickly alleviated, this allows doctors to spend longer with each patient and provided a higher quality of care.
   

So which should I choose?
Bulk billing offers the thrill of diverse challenges, private billing the security of stronger patient relationships. But ultimately the system the practice you intend to work for uses matters less than the culture and professionals in the health centre itself.

Your Doctor Jobs has a diverse range of clients across the country, with dozens of rewarding GP roles available. For more information on the billing system in Australia or help with deciding where you want to work, contact our team today.