The Abbott Government has made the decision to officially scrap the proposed and highly controversial reforms to Medicare that would have seen the introduction of a GP Co-Payment for many Australian citizens visiting a Doctor.
The Coalition Party Room was told of the decision in a meeting earlier today. Sky News reports that Health Minister Sussan Ley briefed the party room on her findings regarding the GP co-payment following talks with doctors, health and welfare groups.
Though there is no suggestion as to what may happen with Medicare in the future, for the time being the Government is expected to keep their current rebate freeze in place.
The decision was flagged on the ABC during last night’s episode of Q&A, when Assistant Treasurer Josh Frydenberg suggested that there would be some “significant” changes to the Government’s health policies.
When asked what had convinced the Government to shelve the GP co-payment plans, Frydenberg stated “There wasn’t the public support for it, particularly in the Senate.”
A senior Liberal MP allegedly told AAP that the co-payment was “permanently gone” as far as the party room is concerned.
Professor Brian Owler, the President of the AMA, hailed the scrapping as the first step towards positive discussion about the future of Australia’s health system.
“We need to get the debate about the co-payment off the table … so we get back to talking about health policies that are going to make our health care system stronger.”
The decision represents yet another aspect of Prime Minister Tony Abbott‘s extremely contentious first Federal Budget that has either had to be severely compromised on, or dropped altogether.
Photo: Rob Elliott via Getty Images.
via SBS News.
