The federal government's controversial Medicare rebate freeze is unlikely to be completely unwound in Tuesday's budget, doctor concede.
The unpopular freeze which fuelled the so-called Labor "Mediscare" campaign that almost cost the coalition the 2016 federal election is widely expected to be tinkered with when Treasurer Scott Morrison unveils the 2017/18 budget.
Australian Medical Association president Michael Gannon is hopeful the freeze will be unravelled over the next 12 months.
"We're hopeful we will see re-indexation across the entire Medicare Benefits Schedule, across pathology, across diagnostic imaging," he told Sky News on Monday.
"We also have been led to believe that's unlikely to be achievable in the next budget."
Tuesday's budget will reportedly lift the rebate freeze for some GP visits from July, beginning a staggered return to linking some rebates to inflation.
Health department officials have previously told a Senate committee hearing that lifting the freeze for all sectors would cost $3 billion over the forward estimates.
The federal government has faced a fierce campaign from doctors since the 2016/17 budget when it extended an indexation freeze on the Medicare rebate it pays for services like GP visits to 2020, prompting warnings of an end to bulk-billing and rising health costs for patients.
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