The services established during the Coronavirus pandemic to ensure high-risk patients had access to primary healthcare providers will be scaled back from June 30, including telephone and 20-minute consultations.

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The move has prompted Australia's peak general practice union to ask the Federal Health Secretary Brendan Murphy to reconsider the changes.

Royal Australian College of General Practitioner vice president Dr Bruce Willett this week wrote to Mr Murphy asking him to defer making any changes to the service without first conducting a review to ensure patient care was not impacted.

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Dr Willett said a comprehensive review needed to be undertaken before making any changes to telehealth to ensure services met the evolving needs of the primary health sector.

"The high number of COVID-19 cases in the community continues to be a challenge for GPs and the broader health sector," he said.

"The RACGP is concerned the circumstances have not changed since the decision to defer was made and that the reintroduction of these rules in July 2022 will generate unnecessary anxiety amongst GPs, potentially impacting on patient care."

The tightening of telehealth services has also been raised as an issue by the Australian Medical Association which said the changes would put patients at risk.

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AMA president Dr Omar Khorshid said the government needed to consider the ongoing health environment and adapt as circumstances change.

"Last week the Commonwealth acknowledged the ongoing impact of COVID-19 by extending the COVID-19 national partnership agreement covering hospital funding until the end of the year," he said.

"Medicare-funded COVID-19 telehealth services should be treated in the same way.

"Some patients are more vulnerable to the virus, particularly immuno-compromised people and older Australians.

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"Telehealth has been embraced by doctors and patients alike. Proceeding with the July changes will put more people at risk of contracting the virus and make it more difficult for patients to access the care they need."

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said the timeframe to end the rebate for longer telephone consults was introduced by the previous government.

Mr Butler did not respond when asked if he would extend the services beyond the existing deadline, but had sought feedback on extending some items.

"The Albanese government has sought advice about options to extend these temporary Medicare items beyond 30 June," he said.

"This consideration includes compliance measures related to telehealth."

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