Health Minister Mark Butler says an increase to the Medicare rebate is not off the table, as the federal government tries to address problems in Australia’s healthcare system.

Mr Butler has also hit back at criticisms that a Medicare review initiated by the government did not have tangible recommendations to provide immediate relief. 

The head of the Australian Medical Association, the peak body representing doctors, said the report had nothing in it to help Australians immediately access more affordable and timely health care.

President Steve Robson said while he welcomed the review, there was nothing in the report to ensure Australians struggling to see a GP or facing long operation waitlists were seen any quicker or more affordably. 

Mr Butler said he was “surprised” by Dr Robson’s attitude, given AMA vice-president Danielle McMullen was a member of the Medicare task force and had contributed to the report.

Medicare was established nearly 40 years ago by the Hawke government and while it was still a “shining jewel” in healthcare, Mr Butler said the system did not reflect the needs of modern Australians. 

“Changes to the rebate are not off the table, affordability was a major pressure that we discussed at the task force,” he told Sky News on Sunday. 

“(But) you can’t just put more money into the existing systems. The existing systems do not reflect the needs of Australians today.”

Mr Butler said all health care groups, including the AMA, who participated in the task force recognised reform was needed. 

Dr Robson said his concern was not with the ideas in the Medicare review but rather the length of time it would take to roll them out. 

“I’m not critical of the report itself, it’s a great report … I’m critical of the lead up discussions and the fact that really nothing has happened that will influence patients in the near term,” he said.

“We support all the recommendations, the problem is they’re just not going to deliver anything urgently for patients and we know that urgent changes are needed.”

Dr Robson said part of the problem was that governments considered health care spending as a cost rather than an investment. 

“Healthy Australians are more likely to be productive and contribute to the economy, so even if you look at in strictly economic terms it makes sense to make (health care) affordable,” he said. 

Opposition spokesman Paul Fletcher said the Medicare report was “pretty thin” and Australians would probably have to wait until after the May budget before the government took action.