Bulk billing

Bulk billing is a payment agreement under Australia's universal health insurance scheme where the health professional accepts the Medicare rebate as the full and only charge for the service, making the service free for eligible patients at the point-of-care. Bulk billing is at the discretion of the health professional but may attract additional payments to encourage the practice. The dollar-figure paid to the health professional is dependent on which Medicare Benefits Schedule item codes applies.

Bulk billing rebates may be collected and paid directly to the service provider, or the service provider may collect the equivalent fee from the patient, leaving the patient to claim the rebate online, over the telephone, by mail, or at a Medicare office. Increasingly, service providers offer electronic lodgement at the practice using EFTPOS.