Clinic Owners, brace yourselves. November brings a quadruple whammy that could hit your practice hard — slashed mental health item numbers, an influx of bulk billing clinics, hidden risks with MyMedicare, and the inevitable pushback from GPs facing income drops. 

In this episode, Dr Todd Cameron and Dr Sachin Patel break down what these changes really mean for your practice, your patients, and your bottom line. More importantly, they show you how to get on the front foot so you’re not left scrambling when the financial and emotional pressures start to pile up.

If you’re running a mixed or private billing practice, this conversation is your wake-up call. You’ll learn where the biggest risks lie, why “waiting to see” what others do is the worst strategy, and how you can proactively lead your team, protect your billings, and avoid the burnout trap.

This isn’t about doom and gloom. It’s about getting prepared. The Clinic Owners who act now will thrive, while others are left wondering what just happened.

In this episode of the Scale My Clinic Podcast, you’ll learn:

• Why the removal of key mental health items (2712 and 2713) disproportionately impacts female GPs and their patients (02:41)
• How corporates flooding the market with Universal Bulk Billing clinics will affect patient demand, GP decision-making, and appointment books in mixed/private billing practices (09:32)
• The hidden risks of MyMedicare and the strategies you need to protect patient continuity and practice revenue (16:18)
• The quadruple whammy hit all at once and why practices without a plan could face existential risk (21:06)
• Future-Proofing with Project X to put practices back in control (27:12)
  

QUOTES

“If you have to try and turn the ship around really suddenly, then you’ve got to throw a few people off. Some Doctors won’t be ready, some patients won’t be prepared. You’re probably going to lose some things in the chaos. It’s not a good idea to sit back and wait to see what everyone else does.” -Dr. Todd Cameron

“You can’t keep doing the same work and expect the same income under these changes. If you don’t adjust your fees or billing model, you’re effectively agreeing to work for less. And that just doesn’t make sense.” – Dr. Todd Cameron

 “There is likely to be an existential risk for Practices who haven’t prepared for this. And I don’t mean a quick conversation—I mean a thorough plan, implemented and in action. If not, these Practices are in grave danger.” – Dr. Sachin Patel

“The real risk is a domino effect—billings drop, GPs ask for higher splits, your costs increase, and suddenly you’re caught in a downward spiral. Without preparation, you’ll reach a tipping point, and there may be no coming back.” – Dr. Sachin Patel

Missed the previous Episode?

Listen to Episode 73 here: If It All Falls Apart Without You, That’s Not a Team. It’s a Trap