Our Commitment to Quality Care

To our valued patients and families,

You may have heard that from 1 November 2025, the Australian Government will introduce a new program called the Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program (BBPIP). With all the talk about bulk billing and gaps, you may be wondering what will be happening at our practice.

We want to explain what the BBPIP is, what it would mean for our practice, and why your doctors at Signal Health Newton have chosen not to change billing practices - so you can feel confident your care will continue to be safe, supportive, and delivered with the time and quality you deserve.

The Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program (BBPIP)

The BBPIP is a voluntary program that offers practices an extra 12.5% top-up payment (split equally between the GP and practice) if they commit to bulk-billing every patient for every consultation and care plan service they provide.

While the program does offer some extra support, the reality is that we feel it falls well short of what’s needed to deliver high-quality healthcare. If we were to remove gaps and bulk bill every patient, to remain viable as a practice we would need to:

• Shorten appointments to under 10 minutes, meaning your doctor would have less time to listen and provide thorough care.

• Cut back access to nurses and the support they provide.

• Reduce the staff and resources needed to provide the same standard of care you currently experience.

In other words, joining BBPIP would mean we couldn’t consistently give you the level of time, care, and support we believe every patient deserves - and that’s something we are not willing to compromise on.

Why We Are Staying Mixed Billing

Mixed billing makes it possible for your doctor to give you the time and attention needed to listen, answer questions, and provide thorough care. It also means we can continue to support you with experienced doctors, skilled nurses, and caring admin staff who help to keep our practice running smoothly. Private fees ensure we can maintain safe facilities, reliable equipment, and modern technology that allows us to deliver care more effectively and reliably.

Most importantly, it gives you consistency. You can continue seeing the doctor who knows your history, rather than feeling like just another number. And because we are not limited to the bare minimum, we can offer services that add real value to help keep you well.

Nothing about these changes affects your ability to keep seeing your regular doctor or accessing the services you rely on here.

Your Medicare Rebates

While your doctors will continue to have gaps on most consultations, there are limited times when there won’t be a gap. Some services have Medicare rebates that adequately cover the costs to deliver them, such as 75 years and over health assessments and chronic condition management plan reviews, so you will receive a rebate that covers 100% of the fee.

Some doctors may choose to reduce their fees for a regular patient for certain visits, but this is at each doctor’s discretion and is not applied practice-wide. If you see a doctor who is not your regular doctor, please don’t assume the same arrangement will apply, as each doctor makes their own decisions about billing. These exceptions are limited, and most appointments will continue to be privately billed.

For privately billed visits, the full fee is paid on the day. Our team then helps you claim your Medicare rebate back straight away - either instantly to your Savings or Cheque account using Easyclaim, or within 1–2 days if lodged online. This means your out-of-pocket cost is just the gap between your doctor’s fee and the Medicare rebate. Reduced fees apply practice wide for pensioners and healthcare card holders.

Our Commitment to Quality Care

We know that private fees can be a concern, and that not everyone may be able to afford this type of care. Your doctors have carefully considered the decision to mixed bill. Mixed billing makes it possible for us to invest in the people, services, and resources that support your care every day.

Our goal is to continue offering the highest standards of healthcare - safe, thorough, and personal - while keeping our practice sustainable so that care is available when you need it. This approach ensures that every patient who comes through our doors receives the time, attention, and support they deserve.

Thank you for your understanding and for trusting us with your care.

The Signal Health Newton Team