What to look for, what to expect and what’s already been promised.
Better funded long consults are what GPs hope to see in tonight’s budget, but health has already seen a fair whack of cash splashed its way.
Here’s a rundown of what we know so far, what GPs want to see and where the broader healthcare sector reckons money should go.
What’s already been promised
Federal health minister Mark Butler has been remarkably tight-lipped about what to expect tonight, with the most GP-relevant announcement so far being the $1.8 billion investment to keep Medicare Urgent Care Clinics running into the future.
While he has also spoken out strongly against high out-of-pocket specialist fees, it’s unclear whether this will be addressed as part of the budget.
On the topic of cuts, Mr Butler has already announced sweeping reforms to the NDIS, slashing funding to the tune of $22 billion over forward estimates.
It’s likely that the budget will give further insight into just how the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing plans to reduce the scheme’s 760,000-person participant base to 600,000 by 2030.
Mr Butler has previously said that an amendment to the NDIS scheme would be introduced immediately following the budget.
The government will also be investing $3 billion in the aged care sector, with the money going toward more beds, more home care packages and better care for older Australians. This includes $1 billion to change the treatment of personal care services through the Support at Home program.
Mr Butler has also hinted at changes to the “intergenerational inequity” in private healthcare rebates which would reverse a Howard-era policy that increased the rebate for over-65s only.
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What the peaks want
Higher rebates for long consults are the top of the budgetary wish list for all peak primary care advocacy organisations, but AMA president Dr Danielle McMullen has already sought to temper expectations.
“Times are tight and we aren’t expecting any surprise goodies on Tuesday,” she wrote on Friday.
“The budget will fall short on the broad reforms our system so desperately needs.
“But we will keep up the fight for all our asks, including better support for longer GP consultations, coordinated team care, meaningful private hospital reform, chronic disease prevention with a tax on sugar-sweetened drinks, and strategic health workforce planning and delivery.”
The other big-ticket item is support for GP supervisors to ensure the training workforce can handle the uptick in registrars.
More specific asks from the RACGP cover iron deficiency treatment, independent pricing and higher caps on the Workforce Inventive Program – Practice Stream.
ACRRM, meanwhile, wants more rural generalist training places, rural generalist MBS recognition and rural lifestyle support.
What the wider sector wants
Some of the asks from the wider healthcare sector include:
- continued freeze on the PBS co-payment (Pharmacy Guild of Australia)
- allow wider registered nurse prescribing (Australian College of Nursing)
- even more med students (AMA Queensland)
- an overhaul of the PBS valuation system (Medicines Australia)
- legislation against inadequate financial consent (Private Healthcare Australia)
The 2026-27 federal budget will be handed down at 7:30 AEST on Tuesday May 12.
