An increasing number of GPs are ditching bulk billing due to paltry Medicare rebates, which some claim are sending them broke.

Medicare offers $39.10 rebates for 15 minute GP visits, which many practices say is unviable.

President of the Royal Australian College of GPs, Professor Karen Price, says gaps at her surgery are between $30 and $40 dollars, with the gap waived for those least able to pay.

“It’s a very challenging situation that we’re now in … now it’s becoming a sustainability issue for practices and we know young doctors are no longer choosing general practice in the numbers that we need them to,” she told Neil Mitchell.

Doctors who do bulk bill are having to increase patient volumes to turn a profit.

“We know those longer consultations are not rewarded at the same rate as a shorter consultation so they’re having to push people through, maybe get them to come back two or three times,” Professor Price said.

She’s calling for greater investment in Medicare.

“We have to make sure that primary care in particular is invested in. We know that other countries have done it and they’ve actually saved ongoing healthcare costs in hospital.”

Press PLAY below to hear why bulk billing is becoming unsustainable for GPs