Govt forced to put off Medicare overhaul

Health Minister Sussan Ley has been forced to put a hold on proposed Medicare reforms after failing to win support from the Greens and Senate crossbench.

Legislation to introduce a new Medicare Safety Net, with revised thresholds and limits on what out-of-pocket costs can accumulate toward reaching the safety net, was due to be debated in the upper house this week.

"At the end of the day, I was unwilling to compromise over the fundamental integrity of the policy's intention and design in favour of a quick political solution," Ms Ley said on Tuesday.