Australian gov't cancels new fee for doctor visits after widespread criticism

The Australian government has decided to scrap its plans for a 5 Australian dollar (3.8 U.S dollar) Medicare co-payment fee to see a doctor, after the controversial move was met with widespread criticism.

The about-face was announced on Tuesday, after assistant Treasurer Josh Frydenberg leaked the news to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Monday night.

The government proposed the introduction of the fee to ease financial pressure on the health system and make the taxpayer- funded Medicare universal health scheme more sustainable in the future.

But Health Minister Sussan Ley confirmed on Tuesday that the government had abandoned those plans, saying "we are not pursuing it at all".

"We recognize we cannot introduce reforms to build a strong, sustainable Medicare without support from the public and parliament," she told reporters on Tuesday.

"I've promised to hit the pause button on proposed Medicare measures."

"The Abbott government is committed to protect Medicare for the long term."

The co-payment scheme was first announced by the Abbott government in May 2014 as a 7 Australian dollar (5.5 U.S dollar) fee, but that idea met with strong opposition from both the public and medical experts, who said the most financially vulnerable members of society would be less inclined to seek medical help if it costs rose.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott made several attempts to reform the plan, but it was finally announced "dead as a doornail" on Tuesday, after a cabinet meeting was held to discuss the future of the co- payment.

Speaking on the ABC's Q&A program on Monday night, Frydenberg said the plan simply wasn't popular.

"There wasn't enough support for it, particularly in the Senate, " he said.

The 3.8 U.S dollar fee was expected to save more than 620 million U.S dollars over four years. Endi