The Turnbull government's decision to extend the Medicare rebate freeze is akin to putting a sneaky new tax on health care, doctors say.
And it's estimated patients will pay an extra $10 per visit as GPs try to keep up with the rising costs of running a medical practice.
The Australian Medical Association is ramping up its fight against the Medicare rebate freeze as the federal election campaign kicks into its second week.
AMA president Brian Owler says the group has been flooded with feedback from concerned doctors after the May budget confirmed the hold on patient rebates would be extended to 2020.
"What we've been seeing so far is GPs trying to absorb the freeze that's been there - but the real tipping point has now been reached," he said on Sunday.
Prof Owler said doctors now have no choice but to pass the costs of running their practice - such as rents, staff, technology and equipment - on to their patients.
"And as soon as a practice stops bulk billing they lose the bulk billing incentive for general practice," Prof Owler said.
"That automatically means that the cost associated with switching means that the patient will be out of pocket at least an extra $10 and in most cases probably more like to be $20."
From Monday, more than 30,000 AMA members will hang posters in their waiting rooms that warn: "Your health will cost you more. The government has cut Medicare and wants you to pay for it".
Doctors and patients will also be encouraged to demand their local state and federal MPs support greater funding for Medicare as part of the AMA's #nomedicarefreeze campaign.
Liberal frontbencher Josh Frydenberg says he believes the Turnbull government has struck the right balance in funding Medicare, with bulk-billing rates at a historic high.
Medicare funding will rise to $26 billion by 2020/21, Mr Frydenberg told ABC television on Sunday.
The bulk-billing rate has also increased to 85 per cent under the coalition compared with 79 per cent under Labor, he said.
Labor leader Bill Shorten has meanwhile remained coy about whether Labor will reverse the freeze, initially imposed by the Gillard government in 2013.
"We won't be finalising our Medicare rebate policy today," Mr Shorten said on Sunday.
