The plan would see a progressive incentive scheme implemented for the bulk billing of patients, with more remote doctors receiving a higher percentage of the Bulk Billing Incentive.

Doctors in Horsham will receive an increase to 160 per cent of the incentive and doctors in less populated areas of the Mallee receiving 180 - 170 per cent.

Lister House Clinic chief executive Amanda Wilson said it was good to see the government acknowledge the differences between regional and metropolitan practices.

"Additional rewards need to be offered to keep our services and ensure a continuity of care across our regional family, making sure we receive the quality care city people take for granted," she said.

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"It is a great start, but needs to be developed to make sure the quality of regional healthcare is sustained. I'd expect to see a large amount of changes to come."

Ms Wilson said the pressure on regional and metropolitan doctors was different, with regional doctors expected to carry larger loads than their city counterparts.

She said regional doctors often work outside of work hours and were sometimes the last option in a regional area.

"There has to be recognition of outside of hours work that city GPs might not realise," she said.

"That is not to say that they don't work hard, but there are different expectations because the buck stops with you. You might be the only GP in town, and there is no hospital to send it off to.

"GPs do it because of their love of medicine and the community and people. But there's a financial burden of being away from family. It is a 24-hour job; people don't understand how burdensome it can be.

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"The stepping stone of what they've (federal government) started needs to continue and become much greater. A tiny step in what needs to become a larger leap."

Stawell Regional Health chief executive Kate Pyde also welcomed the rebates.

"Anything that strengthens and supports the GP workforce in the rural sector is welcomed," she said.

The Rural Doctors Association of Australia welcomed the increase to bulk-billing rebates, with doctors potentially receiving up to an extra $50,000 a year under the plan.

Rural Doctors President Dr John Hall said the changes were a welcome shift in government policy.

"This investment will be a game changer for rural and remote primary care," he said.

"For the first time in Medicare, we are seeing a government recognise that there are on-the-ground differences between delivering general practice care in regional, rural and remote areas compared to larger regional and metropolitan cities.

"The additional cost and complexity for doctors and medical practices to deliver health service increases with rurality, and this differential scale of Medicare rebates will better support them to provide the essential care these communities need and deserve."

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