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Tasmania bulk billed telehealth GP

Bulk billed telehealth GP consultations for Tasmanian Medicare cardholders, available statewide. AHPRA-registered General Practitioners, eScripts to your phone, no out-of-pocket cost for the consult.

How NewDoc serves Tasmania

NewDoc is a 100% telehealth general practice service. Consultations are delivered by AHPRA-registered Australian General Practitioners with FRACGP fellowship, by phone or video, and are bulk billed directly to Medicare for eligible cardholders. There is no out-of-pocket cost for the consultation, and any eScripts, medical certificates, or specialist referrals issued during the appointment are included.

Tasmania has approximately 576,700 residents (Australian Bureau of Statistics, September 2025). NewDoc telehealth is available statewide for eligible Medicare cardholders, regardless of suburb. There are no catchment restrictions and you do not need to be an existing NewDoc patient.

Bulk billing in Tasmania

Tasmania's GP bulk billing rate was 83.2% for the November 2025 to January 2026 quarter (Department of Health), above the 81.4% national average and up 5.2 percentage points year-on-year following the Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program launch on 1 November 2025. Tasmania's headline rate sits alongside a long-documented GP workforce shortage that both the federal Department of Health and the Tasmanian Department of Health recognise, with longer waits common in Hobart, Launceston, and particularly the north-west coast. Telehealth keeps a fully bulk billed pathway open across the whole island for eligible Medicare cardholders regardless of which local practices are accepting new bulk billed patients.

The 83.2% figure for Tasmania reflects all GP attendances in the November 2025 to January 2026 quarter, as reported by the Australian Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. NewDoc consultations are bulk billed for every eligible Medicare cardholder, so the state-level distribution does not affect what you pay for a NewDoc consult.

Geography and GP access in TAS

Roughly half of Tasmania's population lives in Greater Hobart, with the remainder spread across Launceston, Devonport, Burnie, and rural areas. Tasmania has one of the highest shares of residents over 65 of any Australian jurisdiction and a persistent GP workforce gap, which means same-day in-person appointments are often hard to find outside a handful of larger practices. Travel between Hobart and the north-west coast can take three or more hours by car, so telehealth removes a significant barrier to routine GP care.

Cities and regions covered

Hobart and the south

Hobart patients across the CBD, northern suburbs, Kingston, the eastern shore, and the Huon Valley can book a bulk billed NewDoc telehealth appointment without travelling to a practice. Live wait times for Hobart Private Hospital's emergency department are also published on NewDoc for triage decisions.

Launceston and the north

Launceston, George Town, Scottsdale, and the Tamar Valley are well served by telehealth for routine consults. NewDoc GPs can issue eScripts directly to your phone and arrange specialist, pathology, or imaging referrals as part of the same appointment.

Devonport, Burnie, and the north-west coast

The north-west coast, including Devonport, Burnie, Ulverstone, Smithton, and Queenstown, has one of Australia's most persistent GP workforce gaps. A 10-minute video or phone consult replaces a drive of an hour or more for a routine appointment.

East coast and regional Tasmania

Patients on the east coast, the west coast, the central highlands, and the Bass Strait islands can all book a NewDoc telehealth GP. Phone consultations work over a basic mobile signal, making telehealth practical even where local practice options are limited.

Live ED wait times in TAS

Telehealth is not appropriate for emergencies. NewDoc publishes live ED wait times for 1 private TAS hospitals (operated by Healthscope) where the data is publicly available. Public hospital ED data is not currently published live in Tasmania.

View live ED wait times for Tasmania private hospitals. Out-of-pocket fees apply at private emergency departments. For public emergency care, attend your nearest public hospital ED or call 000 in a life-threatening situation.

TAS health resources and hotlines

Telehealth complements, but does not replace, the public health services in your state. The following resources are operated by Tasmanian Department of Health and partner organisations and may be useful alongside a NewDoc consultation.

  • Access Mental Health Phoneline: 1800 332 388. Free 24/7 statewide phone service operated by the Tasmanian Department of Health in partnership with Lifeline Tasmania. Staffed by community mental health clinicians who assess, support, and refer into Tasmania's mental health teams.
  • healthdirect helpline: 1800 022 222. 24/7 phone advice from a registered nurse for any non-emergency health concern. Funded by the Australian Government.

Common conditions managed via telehealth

A NewDoc telehealth GP can assess and manage a wide range of common conditions for Tasmania residents, including respiratory and urinary tract infections, anxiety, depression, hay fever, UTIs, insomnia, skin conditions, and ongoing management of chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes. The full list is available on the conditions page.

References

This content is informational and does not replace individual medical advice. For personal assessment, book a consultation with your GP. In emergencies, call 000.

Reviewed by Dr. Jason Yu FRACGP

Last reviewed 24 April 2026. Editorial policy

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Frequently asked questions

Can I see a NewDoc GP from anywhere in Tasmania?

Yes. NewDoc telehealth consultations are delivered by phone or video and are available statewide for eligible Medicare patients in Tasmania, including the north-west coast, east coast, and Bass Strait islands.

Is NewDoc bulk billed for Tasmanian Medicare cardholders?

Yes. NewDoc bulk bills the consultation directly to Medicare for eligible cardholders, with no out-of-pocket cost. Scripts, certificates, and referrals are included in the consultation.

What if I need a GP in person in Tasmania?

Your NewDoc GP will tell you if an in-person examination is needed and can help plan next steps. The Tasmanian Department of Health and HealthDirect both publish information about local GP practices and after-hours services.

Can NewDoc send an eScript to a Tasmanian pharmacy?

Yes. eScripts are SMS tokens that any pharmacy in Australia, including any Tasmanian pharmacy, can scan to dispense your medication. No paper script is required.

Is telehealth practical for the north-west coast and east coast?

Phone consultations work over a basic mobile signal, and video consultations work over any reasonable internet connection. A NewDoc GP can issue scripts, certificates, and referrals during the consultation, which removes much of the travel that would otherwise be needed.

What about emergencies in Tasmania?

Telehealth is not for emergencies. Call 000 or attend your nearest public emergency department for life-threatening situations. The Access Mental Health Phoneline on 1800 332 388 is a free 24/7 resource for mental health support. NewDoc also publishes live wait times for Hobart Private Hospital's emergency department so you can choose where to attend if your situation is urgent but not life-threatening, though private fees apply at private EDs.

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