The health minister, Sussan Ley, has flatly denied claims by a doctors’ group that consultations on changes to Medicare will end in two weeks.
Ley said she would engage in wide-ranging consultation after she became health minister in December’s cabinet reshuffle.
Her predecessor, Peter Dutton, has been heavily criticised by health professionals for failing to discuss the government’s proposed changes, including GP co-payments, with the industry.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) told a Senate committee on Thursday that consultations with the industry could end within a fortnight.
“Indications were that there was a time limit on the consultation process,” RACGP president Frank Jones said.
Ley rejected that, saying consultations was under way and no firm timetable had been established.
“I am currently travelling the country listening carefully to GPs and patients and taking the opportunity to have frank discussions about constructive ways to protect Medicare for the long term,” Ley said.
“This is a genuine consultation effort on Medicare reform and I am going in with open eyes and ears open.”
RACGP will have its first formal meeting with Ley when parliament resumes next week.
Jones told Guardian Australia the government’s consultation process was constrained by the May budget, but he hoped Ley would act on the concerns of healthcare professionals.
“She’s in listening mode,” he said.
The president of the Australian Medical Association, Brian Owler, welcomed Ley’s commitment to talking with the industry.
“I’m pleased that the new minister is embarking on consultation,” Owler said.
Owler criticised Dutton for failing to consult, saying the government’s changes to Medicare were “made on the basis of anecdote … and ideology”.
“When you do that on no evidence and no data, then ideology becomes the natural enemy of logic, common sense and, unfortunately, moderation. And I think that is how we ended up with the very poor proposals that will have negative impacts, not only on general practice but on the healthcare of all Australians,” Owler told the Senate committee.
The government had originally wanted to impose a $7 co-payment for visits to GPs, but backed down following public outcry and lack of support from Senate crossbenchers.
Instead, the government put forward its Plan B, which includes a $5 cut to Medicare rebates for adult non-concession holders, and a $20 cut to the rebate for all consultations shorter than 10 minutes.
A number of government MPs have called on Tony Abbott to dump the changes as a measure to salvage his leadership.
“I am suggesting to the government that we should be taking the co-payment off the table full stop,” Mal Brough said on Tuesday night. “I don’t think it makes economic sense and I don’t think it makes health sense.”
Greens senator Richard Di Natale said springing the changes to Medicare on voters was a bad move.
“This represents everything that’s wrong with the Abbott leadership. You say one thing and do another. You ignore the evidence and make up your own facts,” Di Natale said.
“You don’t talk to people and lie about what you’re going to do, and then, lo and behold, you’re surprised when there’s backlash from the community and from people within your own party.”