The health bit of last night’s federal budget unfolded as nearly everybody predicted, which you may take as a compliment or a criticism of the government, depending on your perspective. 

The first budget from Treasurer Jim Chalmers tucked away $750 million in ‘contingency’ funds for whatever shape the long-delayed GP patient enrolment scheme takes.

The actual details will only emerge when the expert group – known as the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce – publishes its findings in two months’ time. 

But the natural consequence is that GP Medicare rebates remain untouched in the meantime, despite all those Mediscare headlines boasting of mass doctor fraud.