While many practitioners in Griffith can offer bulk billing on request or for concession holders, this is often not clear at the outset and there remains a lack of upfront bulk-billed practices in town.

Your Health Griffith says that bulk billing as a standard is too expensive for their practice as costs increase. "The reality today is that Medicare bulk-billing rebates no longer cover the cost of providing high quality care" reads their website, however they clarify that some services can be bulk billed at the GP's discretion.

They do not clarify what those services are.

Griffith Aboriginal Medical Service is currently the only practice that offers bulk-billing as standard, however they are currently not accepting new patients after a staff member relocated to Victoria.

CEO Stacey O'Hara explained that offering the service was important to them but was leading to long wait times. One doctor at the clinic has a waitlist of three weeks.

"A lot of people don't have the money to pay when they see a doctor. If you're sick, you're sick. You don't want to have to wait to have money to see a doctor."

She also clarified that other GP's in the area can offer bulk-billing and often will for regular patients.

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The recent rural bulk billing incentive is hoped to change the state of healthcare in regional areas, offering practices in Griffith up to 170 per cent of the base incentive.

Federal regional health minister Mark Coulton said that the incentive would recognise the challenges facing health professionals in the regions, as well as help make ends meet for clients.

""The new Rural Bulk Billing Incentive will support those GPs providing services to people in greatest need and who have the lowest propensity to pay for healthcare; our government understands GPs outside of our metropolitan areas face greater cost and workforce pressures," he said.

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