'Devil in detail' of patient plan: Shorten

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says he supports the "principle" of the medicare package announced by the government to tailor health care for patients with chronic conditions.

"But the devil's always in the detail," Mr Shorten told reporters in Sydney on Thursday after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced a `Healthier Medicare' package that will give patients streamlined care to improve their health and reduce soaring healthcare costs from hospitalisations.

"Mr Turnbull's trying to pretend that he can ask GPs to do more but provide them less support ... Mr Turnbull needs to explain how he will fund these arrangements."