25 October 2018 | Australian GPs, Salary Page, UK/Ireland GPs | 2 minutes read

Pros and cons of mixed billing

No matter how popular bulk billing is with patients, more and more GPs strive to work in a mixed billing practice. However, we believe it is not easy to make a clear case either for or against mixed billing.

So, what are the pros and cons of mixed billing?

Apart from the above pros and cons that come straight to your mind. There are some other points you should consider before moving to a mixed billing clinic:

• There is an urban myth that mixed billing GPs earn more than those in bulk billing however this is contrary to the information the industry has received and also what we have discovered in our annual salary surveys
• In mixed billing practices, a percentage of the patient base will be bulk billing – children, the elderly, and patients on some form of government support. In some clinics, the percentage of privately paying patients can be very small and the differences to a bulk billing practice marginal.
• There is an ongoing demand for patients across the demographic spectrum to use bulk billing doctors, even in the most affluent suburbs. Bulk billing practices are thriving and will continue to offer good opportunities for new GPs to develop a sound patient base.

Are you unsure whether a bulk billing or mixed billing will be the right fit for you? Contact Alecto for a confidential discussion on 1800 604 332 or info@alecto.com.au