Prime Minister Tony Abbott has been waxing lyrical about the benefits of the medical research fund that will be partially funded by the unpopular $7 co-payment.
The prime minister was joined by Health Minister Peter Dutton and Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull at the round-table discussions at the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute on Saturday, as the coalition struggles to get voter support for the co-payment which will go some way towards paying for the medical research fund.
The visit also came the same week Mr Abbott came under fire from members of his own party for cutting scientific research funds in the budget.
Mr Abbott said the one of the institute's cardiac specialists Professor Robert Graham had called the government's policy "visionary and innovative".
"No one likes to pay more, I accept that, but this co-payment is an important structural reform," Mr Abbott told reporters in Sydney.
"And if we are serious about making our world class health system sustainable for the long run, this co-payment is an important policy advance."
A modest co-payment for the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme already exists without it seeming to effect the universality of Australia's health scheme, neither should a co-contribution undermine Medicare, the government argues.
Mr Dutton said the proposed increases to medical research would benefit the health of Australians as well as the health of the economy.
"Out of this budget we've provided great hope not just for the discoveries which will be necessary with an aging population, but also certainty for funding for our institutes, for our young researchers and that brings with it huge economic benefit," he said.
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