Thank you President this Saturday marks the 1st November, a very important milestone in my household as we wish my husband, Clint, a happy birthday and an important day in the Ciccone household, where Senator Raff Ciccone will also celebrate his birthday. In addition to that, it's an incredible day in the history of Medicare as well because, from 1 November, Australian women will have access to more contraceptive options as a result of our government's landmark $793 million investment in women's health.
And as I have said time and time again in this chamber, when it comes to women's health, you do not need to look very hard to see time after time where women's pain and symptoms are too often ignored, at worst, outright dismissed. We've seen this when it comes to endometriosis, we certainly see it with the symptoms of menopause and perimenopause, and the consequence of this is that women suffer in silence when they shouldn't have had to. We've also seen that for far too long women's health has been underfunded. It's been decades since we've seen new contraceptives or menopause treatments listed on the PBS, but our government has changed that. Since we announced our women's health package, more than 365,000 women have accessed more than 715,000 cheaper scripts for new oral contraceptives, MHT and endometriosis treatments. We've funded longer appointments for women to see their GPs, and, as a result, 20,000 Australian women have undergone a menopause health assessment covered by Medicare.
Our government is determined to build a stronger, fairer health system—one that doesn't dismiss women's pain but responds to it with compassion, expertise and the investment to match. That's why we're strengthening Medicare with real, lasting support for women's health. This Saturday, 1 November, we build on our commitment to strengthen Medicare and deliver better outcomes for Australian women in their health journey. As I have mentioned, we've already added three new contraceptive pills, in Yaz, Yasmin and Slinda, to the PBS earlier this year. This Saturday, we're also adding NuvaRing, used by tens of thousands of women. Where women were paying $270 a year for this contraceptive, they will now pay $31.60 or $7.70 with a concession card. From 1 January, the maximum cost will fall even further, to just $25 a script. From Saturday, our government is ensuring that long-acting, reversible contraceptives, IUDs and implants are more affordable because we know women are currently paying somewhere between $300 and $400 for these, and we're expanding training in the insertion and removal of IUDs because we have heard from women that, too often, they've experienced unnecessary discomfort or pain in these procedures. This was starkly evident in the Senate inquiries we held in the last term of parliament into Women’s health.
Of course, the changes that we see come in this Saturday, 1 November, go even further than women's health. We're strengthening Medicare by expanding eligibility for bulk-billing incentives. Previously, GPs were only eligible to bulk-bill a patient under the age of 16 or a concession card holder. But, from this Saturday, as part of our Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program, eligible general practices will receive a 12.5 per cent incentive payment on the MBS benefits for all eligible bulk-billed services that they provide. This will make a massive difference to Australians. We set an ambition for nine out of 10 trips to the doctor to be fully bulk-billed by 2030. Almost 1,000 practices have told us that, where a gap fee applies this week, that next week they will move to fully bulk-bill. This is a fantastic thing for the health of Australians and for the hip pocket of Australians. And this Saturday, 1 November, will also see changes come in in aged care, when the new Aged Care Act 2024 will take effect, putting the rights of older people first. This act changes the way older people will access services in their own homes, residential aged-care homes and the community. It's about making sure that our older Australians are treated with respect and have the quality of life that they deserve.
President Labor built Medicare. We will always fight tooth and nail to strengthen it, and this Saturday, 1 November, we will see changes take effect that will have a massive impact on the lives of Australians and especially Australian women. I could not be more proud of this work.
