Abbott drops plan for healthcare co-payment
Reversal comes after heavy criticism by opposition and many in healthcare sector
Sydney
PRIME Minister Tony Abbott on Tuesday abandoned a plan to radically reshape Australia's universal healthcare system by charging patients a fee to see their doctor, a major back flip for his struggling conservative government.
The A$7 (S$7.64) "co-payment" fee, which had been included in an unpopular May budget, was heavily criticised by the opposition and many in the healthcare sphere as a sign that Australia was moving towards a US healthcare model.
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