The Federal Government says it will offer Medicare funding for GP consults conducted by phone, text, email and online under a new, 10-year plan for primary care.

Greg Hunt, newly reappointed as health minister last month, says he has already started work on the reform plan, which will be developed alongside the AMA and the RACGP, but a key element will be telehealth.

“At the moment, you have to see your doctor face-to-face. Yet in every other area of our life, face-to-face is important, but we use technology,” he says.

“I’m opening up telehealth, teleconference, phone, text, email — all of the modern tools that are available — except through Medicare.”