Kristy McBain (Eden-Monaro, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories) Share this | Hansard source

As I said, PBS medicines are now $25 or less thanks to our investment in Medicare, saving Australians over $200 million a year. The last time they were that price was in 2004. Silverchair were still together as a band—and so were the coalition! Our Medicare urgent care clinics have been a game changer for health care in our regions. There are now 122 urgent care clinics that have opened across the country, and 39 of those have been in regional, rural and remote areas. Last weekend, the latest Medicare urgent care clinic opened in Bega, in Eden-Monaro. No appointment is needed. Patients can walk in. It's all bulk-billed. Chloe from Tura Beach said: 'Excellent doctor with detailed care. Not a long wait. So easy and a relief to receive treatment promptly on the weekend without a visit to the emergency department.' Isn't that a good news story?

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