Patterns in out-of-pocket costs for GP attendances by remoteness

Information about remoteness is summarised in this report by Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) for Remoteness Areas (RA).

For more detail, see Technical notes.

Average out-of-pocket costs were higher for people paying for a non-bulk billed GP attendance in more remote areas (Remote and very remote) compared to Major cities and regional (Inner and outer regional) areas for most of the period between 2003 and 2023 (Figure 9).

In 2023:

  • People in Very remote areas paid an average out-of-pocket cost of $49 for GP attendances. They paid similar out-of-pocket costs of $49–$50 (adjusted for inflation) between 2018 and 2022.
  • People paid an average out-of-pocket cost of $43 for a GP attendance in Major cities, compared with the highest cost of $47 between 2018 and 2021 (having adjusted for inflation).

Figure 9: Average out-of-pocket costs for GP attendances by remoteness for states and territories, 2003 to 2023

The annual average out-of-pocket cost per service in Major cities changed from $24 in 2003 to $43 in 2023, from $20 to $43 in Inner regional areas, from $22 to $43 in Outer regional areas, from $24 to $47 in Remote areas and from $25 to $49 in Very remote areas. All costs have been adjusted for inflation.

The annual average out-of-pocket cost per service in Major cities changed from $24 in 2003 to $43 in 2023, from $20 to $43 in Inner regional areas, from $22 to $43 in Outer regional areas, from $24 to $47 in Remote areas and from $25 to $49 in Very remote areas. All costs have been adjusted for inflation.
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