Media Release - Port Pirie Patients To Benefit From Historic Medicare Investment

PORT PIRIE PATIENTS TO BENEFIT FROM HISTORIC MEDICARE INVESTMENT

Senator for South Australia, Karen Grogan, visited the Port Pirie Central Clinic today to congratulate staff on the clinic’s transition a fully bulk billed service.

During the election campaign earlier this year, the Albanese Government made the single largest investment in Medicare since its creation over 40 years ago.

The Port Pirie community will benefit from this historic $8.5 billion investment with the Central Clinic fully bulk billing every patient that walks through the doors from 1 September 2025. 

The government’s $8.5 billion investment will deliver an additional 18 million bulk billed GP visits each year nationwide, as well as hundreds of nursing scholarships and thousands more doctors in the largest GP training program in Australia’s history. 

When the new incentive increased payment begins in November this year, Medicare payments at regional bulk billing practices like the Central Clinic in Port Pirie will be double what they are now.

In November 2023 the Albanese Government tripled the bulk billing incentive for pensioners, concession card holders and children. Since then, 9 out 10 GP visit for this cohort of eligible patients have been bulk billed. 

This additional $8.5 billion investment will mean 9 out of 10 GP visits will be bulk billed by 2030, boosting the number of fully bulk billed practices to around 4,800 nationally – triple the current number.

Labor created Medicare and the Albanese Government will always strengthen and protect it.