FEDERAL MP for Wright Scott Buchholz has thrown his support behind the government's scrapping of the $7 GP co-payment, saying he would have preferred the new deal "on the table from the word go".
The federal government's controverisal GP co-payment, proposed during the federal budget in May, was scrapped on Tuesday.
Instead, the government will cut the Medicare rebate given to GPs by $5 per consultation - a cost that could be passed on to patients.
Children, pensioners, veterans, nursing home residents and those with concession cards would be exempt under the proposal.
Mr Buchholz said the new approach would be "more palatable" for voters.
"Has the whole concept (of the co-payment) been sold well, no it hasn't. But does that lessen the importance of trying to make a good system more sustainable into the future, no it doesn't," Mr Buchholz said.
"I would have much preferred to have this deal on the table from the word go, this deal is a lot more palatable.
"We have listened to those that saw concern with certain parts of the (co-payment) policy and we have taken those on board and revised it for pensioners and concessional card holders who thought they were being unfairly dealt with."
Mr Buchholz said the plan would ensure the sustainability of Medicare.
"The current system is unsustainable, no one can dispute that," he said.
"Really the target audience is for those Australians that can afford, when they go to the doctor, to pay a modest contribution, they should be able to do so.
"If we do not make changes to the current system we cannot expect that the same level of care will be affordable into the future for generations to come.
"That is not a political statement, it is simply a statement of pure economics."
