Australia's healthcare system could change forever with Labor's new 24/7 service
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Access to urgent healthcare is something many Australians rely on, especially outside standard hours.
As the federal election draws closer, new proposals are being unveiled that could reshape how after-hours medical care is delivered across the country.
Here’s what’s being promised—and why it could make a major difference.
Australians in need of urgent medical care after hours would soon be able to access a free telehealth GP appointment under a major election commitment Anthony Albanese planned to reveal.
The Prime Minister prepared to announce the plan at a Labor rally in Western Sydney on Sunday, marking the final week before voters head to the polls on 3 May.
The existing Healthdirect service, called Nurse-on-Call in Victoria, would be rebranded to the new 1800MEDICARE hotline, which was scheduled to launch on 1 January 2026.
The Labor government also pledged an additional $204.5 million to strengthen Medicare-funded telehealth services nationwide.
The 1800MEDICARE service would provide 24/7 access to registered nurses for health advice, with referrals to daytime GPs, Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, or local hospitals when necessary.
If a patient needed urgent GP care, the nurse would refer them to a free phone or video consultation with a GP, available all hours on weekends and between 6:00 pm and 8:00 am on weeknights.
Anthony Albanese said: ‘At this election Australia faces a clear choice: a stronger Medicare with more bulk billing and more free urgent care under Labor, or more cuts to Medicare under Peter Dutton’s Liberals.’
He added: ‘Life isn’t 9 to 5. With 1800MEDICARE, neither is health care.’
‘Whether your family needs urgent or ongoing health care, under Labor, Medicare will be there for all Australians, in every community,’ Mr Albanese said.
Health Minister Mark Butler cited data from NSW Health that suggested a statewide telehealth service could prevent about 85,000 unnecessary emergency room visits each year.
Mr Butler said Healthdirect figures showed about 84 per cent of patients who accessed a telehealth GP appointment did not subsequently visit an emergency department.
Using national projections, Mr Butler said roughly 250,000 Australians could avoid an unnecessary trip to hospital emergency departments through the new hotline.
He said: ‘When illness or injury strikes in your family, 1800MEDICARE will be there–a 24/7 health advice line and after-hours GP telehealth service, backed by Medicare.’
He added: ‘With Medicare Urgent Care Clinics and 1800MEDICARE, free urgent care will be a 20-minute drive away for four in five Australians, and a phone call away for every Australian.’
During the election campaign, Labor warned that a Coalition government would risk cuts to health services, although Opposition Leader Peter Dutton had promised to maintain current health spending levels.
The Coalition confirmed it would also honour Labor’s $8.5 billion investment to boost bulk-billed GP appointments by 18 million annually, with a target of nine in 10 GP visits being free by 2030.
It also committed to tripling the number of fully bulk-billed clinics and maintaining Labor’s pledge to cap PBS-listed prescriptions at $25 per script.
In a previous story, we discussed the key steps to ensure you're ready for the election.
From understanding the voting process to knowing your rights, it's important to be fully prepared.
To dive deeper into the specifics, check out our full breakdown of what you need to know before casting your vote.
With this new proposal on the table, do you think 1800MEDICARE will truly change the way Australians access healthcare? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
As the federal election draws closer, new proposals are being unveiled that could reshape how after-hours medical care is delivered across the country.
Here’s what’s being promised—and why it could make a major difference.
Australians in need of urgent medical care after hours would soon be able to access a free telehealth GP appointment under a major election commitment Anthony Albanese planned to reveal.
The Prime Minister prepared to announce the plan at a Labor rally in Western Sydney on Sunday, marking the final week before voters head to the polls on 3 May.
The existing Healthdirect service, called Nurse-on-Call in Victoria, would be rebranded to the new 1800MEDICARE hotline, which was scheduled to launch on 1 January 2026.
Labor’s new telehealth plan promises after-hours GP access. Image source: Jason Edwards/NewsWire
The Labor government also pledged an additional $204.5 million to strengthen Medicare-funded telehealth services nationwide.
The 1800MEDICARE service would provide 24/7 access to registered nurses for health advice, with referrals to daytime GPs, Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, or local hospitals when necessary.
If a patient needed urgent GP care, the nurse would refer them to a free phone or video consultation with a GP, available all hours on weekends and between 6:00 pm and 8:00 am on weeknights.
Anthony Albanese said: ‘At this election Australia faces a clear choice: a stronger Medicare with more bulk billing and more free urgent care under Labor, or more cuts to Medicare under Peter Dutton’s Liberals.’
He added: ‘Life isn’t 9 to 5. With 1800MEDICARE, neither is health care.’
‘Whether your family needs urgent or ongoing health care, under Labor, Medicare will be there for all Australians, in every community,’ Mr Albanese said.
Health Minister Mark Butler cited data from NSW Health that suggested a statewide telehealth service could prevent about 85,000 unnecessary emergency room visits each year.
Mr Butler said Healthdirect figures showed about 84 per cent of patients who accessed a telehealth GP appointment did not subsequently visit an emergency department.
Using national projections, Mr Butler said roughly 250,000 Australians could avoid an unnecessary trip to hospital emergency departments through the new hotline.
He said: ‘When illness or injury strikes in your family, 1800MEDICARE will be there–a 24/7 health advice line and after-hours GP telehealth service, backed by Medicare.’
He added: ‘With Medicare Urgent Care Clinics and 1800MEDICARE, free urgent care will be a 20-minute drive away for four in five Australians, and a phone call away for every Australian.’
During the election campaign, Labor warned that a Coalition government would risk cuts to health services, although Opposition Leader Peter Dutton had promised to maintain current health spending levels.
The Coalition confirmed it would also honour Labor’s $8.5 billion investment to boost bulk-billed GP appointments by 18 million annually, with a target of nine in 10 GP visits being free by 2030.
It also committed to tripling the number of fully bulk-billed clinics and maintaining Labor’s pledge to cap PBS-listed prescriptions at $25 per script.
In a previous story, we discussed the key steps to ensure you're ready for the election.
From understanding the voting process to knowing your rights, it's important to be fully prepared.
To dive deeper into the specifics, check out our full breakdown of what you need to know before casting your vote.
With this new proposal on the table, do you think 1800MEDICARE will truly change the way Australians access healthcare? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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you can’t believe anything that comes out of this CON MANS mouth 
, we have heard it all before, nothing new . His other clinics have not worked on the news complaints about not being open the hours specified .Gullable ? People are born everyday,just don’t be one of them.
I wouldn’t know the price either ,so what’s all the B/S about not knowing , just a red herring haha.
