The federal government has rejected claims frontline Medicare services will be shut down, causing delays to rebate repayments.
Human Services Minister Alan Tudge said there had been some consolidation of shopfronts over the past years but most people are still able to find a service centre within a few kilometres of their home.
Rebates are now being processed in one of 17 centres nationwide, but from the patient's perspective there is no change, Mr Tudge told reporters on Sunday.
"Every single aspect of Medicare which is currently operated by government will continue to be operated by government, including the processing of the Medicare rebate," Mr Tudge said.
The comments follow a report patients undergoing expensive medical treatments could be left out of pocket for weeks after leaked Medicare documents revealed the federal government has outsourced processing to new centres and closed Medicare shopfronts.
Opposition health and Medicare spokeswoman Catherine King said the closure of frontline services was paving the way for the privatisation of the system.
"We've heard the government is proposing to close down the remaining frontline services in Centrelink offices across the country for people accessing Medicare payments," Ms King said on Sunday.
"For many older Australians a delay in getting their Medicare rebate back is a delay which means they're actually delaying going to see a doctor."
News Corp reported whistleblowers were told there will no longer be any face-to-face Medicare services by December.
Mr Tudge said the claims were false.
"From the patient's perspective there is no change," Mr Tudge said.
"That claim will still be processed as quickly and efficiently as we can."
