Australians heard a lot about Medicare ahead of the 2016 federal election, and Labor's health spokeswoman has made it clear the same will be true before they next go to the polls this year.
Labor controversially used bulk texts to claim the coalition was going to privatise Medicare in 2016.
The so-called Mediscare campaign sparked an inquiry and led to the federal parliament passing stronger laws last year, making it a criminal offence to impersonate a commonwealth agency or service.
But opposition health spokeswoman Catherine King says her party isn't sorry for raising the issue three years ago, after reports of changes the coalition was planning to make to the Medicare payments system.
"I make absolutely no apologies whatsoever for belling the cat on that issue," she told the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday.
Ms King said Labor will be heavily spruiking its health policies, including putting $2.8 billion into a hospitals fund, as a likely May election date looms.
Labor also plans to cap private health insurance premiums at two per cent for two years, saving Australians on average $340.
The party will also be talking about Medicare through its plans to end the rebate freeze, she said.
"We will campaign on Medicare in the coming months because it is core business for us. Philosophically, it's at the centre of everything the modern Labor Party stands for," she said.
"Health was a major issue at the last election - and it will be at this one too. We'll make sure of it."
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