For many, going to the doctor can be a financially painful experience. It can be difficult to find out how the prices of GPs compare in your area, never mind trying to find a bulk billing practice.
James Gillespie is trying to solve this by creating a publicly searchable database called Cleanbill.
Cleanbill lists medical centres by location, fees, bulk-billing and whether they are taking new patients.
Gillespie tells The Briefing what his database has shown about Australian GP billing practices:
Gillespie decided to build a publicly accessible database with information about GP fees by location in 2017 after learning there was no way to find this information easily.
To get the data, he called each practice individually and ask about bulk-billing, out-of-pocket fees, and whether they were taking new patients.
“I couldn’t believe how useful people were finding this free tool that I built,” Gillespie says.
Cleanbill’s latest report shows bulk-billing rates are highest in capital city areas and out-of-pocket costs are highest in regional areas.
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