Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Hansard source

From 1 January, if you need expert health advice, or reassurance, every Australian can get free health advice through 1800MEDICARE, and the registered nurses are there 24/7. They are there to provide advice and refer you to the health service that you need, whether that's your regular GP, your local hospital or a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic. If you do need urgent assistance, the triage nurses can connect you to a free telehealth session with a 1800MEDICARE GP via phone or via video. They will also be available all weekend and on weeknights between 6 pm and 8 am. We expect that about 250,000 Australians will avoid an unnecessary trip to a hospital emergency department each year thanks to 1800MEDICARE. If you need mental health support you can access Medicare's free Mental Health Check In service, because we want to make sure Australians can access free mental health care when they need it. (Time expired)