Federal Health Minister Peter Dutton wants to push ahead with investigating how Australians can contribute more to treatment costs.
As government health spending continues to grow, Mr Dutton said it was appropriate to have a national discussion about future funding.
"As a general principle ... regardless of people's age, if they have a means to contribute to their own healthcare, we should be embarking on a discussion about how that payment will work," Mr Dutton told the ABC on Wednesday.
The minister said such a system would not necessarily involve means testing.
"The issue is how you guarantee access for those without means and how you don't deter people from going to see a doctor if there is some sort of a payment mechanism in place."
Mr Dutton has previously refused to rule out a GP co-payment of up to $6 as a means of easing the healthcare cost burden on the federal budget.
Labor says the government is moving towards privatising Australia's health system.
"What Mr Dutton is really talking about is dismantling our fair and sustainable system in favour of a private health system like that which exists in the United States," opposition health spokeswoman Catherine King said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Dutton told a business forum that an ageing population, technological developments and obesity and diabetes rates would increase financial pressures on the health budget and meant an overhaul of the "unsustainable" system was necessary.
