Why is it so expensive to see a GP?

According to official government data, it’s not expensive. In fact, around 80% of Australians pay nothing when they visit a GP. Free! So what’s going on?

For the minority who do pay, it’s not just about inflation or Medicare rebates falling behind – though that’s the usual line you’ll hear. The truth is more complicated.
One major reason? Our Constitution. Thanks to 11 sneaky little words, GPs (and other specialists) have the legal right to charge whatever they like. There’s no limit on what they can bill you.

You’ll often hear, “Rebates haven’t kept up with costs.” It sounds reasonable – but it’s overly simplistic. Just increasing rebates doesn’t magically reduce your out-of-pocket costs. There’s no evidence it works.

In fact, let’s flip it. If rebates were truly too low, wouldn’t GPs be charging more just to stay afloat? But most aren’t. That suggests rebates are, at least for many, high enough.

Confused? You’re not alone. The real issue is a lack of transparency. We don’t know what you’re actually paying – or if some of those charges are even legal – because Medicare is riddled with loopholes and blind spots.

We can’t change the Constitution overnight, but we can demand more transparency. With better tech – like My Health Record, smarter systems, and standardised billing – we could finally see the truth behind the bills.

Until then, the government will keep saying: “GP visits are mostly free, so rebates must be fine.”