Labor to announce $204m pledge for free online GP appointments

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to announce a $204 million pledge to introduce around-the-clock healthcare.

Labor's latest Medicare promise will include a 24/7 health advice line and access to after-hours doctors via telehealth for free under a rebranded 1800MEDICARE program.

Albanese is set to announce 1800MEDICARE – which would replace Healthdirect – at a Labor rally in western Sydney later today.

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The expanded telehealth offering will be available in every state and territory from January 1 next year if Labor is re-elected.

Finance Minister Katy Gallagher said earlier today the Healthdirect overhaul will take the pressure off Australia's public hospital system.

The federal government has already promised a raft of changes to Medicare, including the opening of more urgent care clinics and making most doctor visits free.

Albanese said Labor will spend $8.5 billion across four years to commit to universal bulk-billing, which would make nine out of 10 GP visits free, in a pre-campaign announcement earlier this year.

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It is expected the PM will speak more on Labor's Medicare pledge during his speech in western Sydney.

Both the PM and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton will take part in a fourth and final leaders' debate tonight.

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