A woman walks past a Medicare (national

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: A woman walks past a Medicare (national health care system) office in Sydney, 11 April 2005, as the Australian Medical Association (AMA) threatens to take on the federal government if it cuts the Medicare safety net in the federal budget. Under the safety net, the federal government pays 80 percent of out-of-hospital medical expenses for all amounts above 306.90 Australian dollar a year for most families, pensioners and health care holders, and over 716.10 Australian dollar a year for others, however a one billion Australian dollar blowout in the government's spending on Medicare last year has reportedly forced it to cut costs. AMA national president Bill Glasson said doctors and the public would be outraged if the government initiated feared cuts to the safety net, contrary to its election promises. AFP PHOTO/Rob ELLIOTT (Photo credit should read ROB ELLIOTT/AFP via Getty Images)