Rural patients swept under rug

Kendal Street Medical Practice doctor David Richmond, Cowra, said the proposed $7 Medicare co-payment to previously bulk billed services could hinder medical access in the bush.

"There are generally higher rates of low income earners in country areas... so it's likely to affect more people in rural and remote areas," Dr Richmond (pictured) said.

Plans to introduce an additional fee for medical scripts filled out were also a concern for low-income earners, he said.

"We don't quite know how it's going to be administered yet... but there is a concern it (the budget) will further marginalise already maginalised groups."

Dr Richmond said much of the budget could be seen as the government getting "a big broom and going 'swipe'," through a number of programs, such as the Prevocational General Practice Placements Program (PGPPP).

This federal initiative provided junior doctors an opportunity to experience a supervised general practice placement as an accredited hospital rotation.

There were some positives from the budget though, Dr Richmond said.

One of these included there being no change to Rural Infrastructure Grants which helped hospitals across the country.