The Albanese Government kicked off the new year by launching 1800MEDICARE, a telehealth service which will provide medical assistance to Australians around the clock.
Concerned individuals can now receive expert advice by telephone from registered nurses, and if necessary will be referred to their own general practitioner (GP), a nearby hospital or an Urgent Care Clinic.
When imperative, between 6pm and 8am, these triage nurses can connect callers to a GP over the phone or by video link. That GP can then provide an emergency prescription for regular medication, or treatment for an illness or injury.
The service is accessible by phone at 1800MEDICARE (1800 633 422), online at medicare.gov.au/1800 or through a new phone application — in fact, a rebranding of the ‘my health’ app.
The Government is optimistic, expecting that around 250,000 Australians will avoid an unnecessary emergency department visit per year. By the decade’s end, up to 130,000 urgent telehealth GP consultations are expected to be provided per year.
Free overnight phone consultations
Over-the-phone consultations will be free. Although these will only be available from evening through to morning, they may be cause for a degree of relief among some Australians.
A report published in January last year found that GP visits were becoming more expensive amidst declining bulk billing availability. 34.5 per cent of clinics in New South Wales were offering bulk billing to new patients, by far the highest rate of any state or major territory.
For new patients attending clinics that did not offer bulk billing, out-of-pocket payments were nearly seven per cent higher nationwide in late 2024 than they were at the start of 2023.
The reduction of bulk billing access was part of the backdrop to the 2025 election campaign, in which the Government committed to establishing the telehealth service.
Besieged prime minister trumpets new service
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, lately embattled over his handling of the response to the Bondi massacre, said that “Australia is the best country on earth because we look out for each other.”
“There’s a reason the Medicare card is green and gold — Medicare is the best of Australian values put into practice, people being looked after when they need it no matter who they are,” he added.
Albanese also spruiked investment in the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), which will see patients pay no more than $25 per script; as was last the case in 2004, he said.
“We’re cutting the cost of PBS medicines because Australians shouldn’t have to worry about whether they can afford to fill a script.”
Health minister Mark Butler echoed the tune from his boss. “The Albanese Government is starting the new year delivering Australians cheaper medicines, and more health care with 1800MEDICARE and Medicare Mental Health Check in.”
“1800MEDICARE works with existing services, supports local care, and will help divert people with less serious health concerns away from emergency departments and towards more appropriate health care.”
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