Medicare freeze lift to start from July

The federal government's freeze on Medicare rebates will reportedly be lifted for some GP visits from July.

It will further extend to specialists and medical procedures over the next three years under a new health package to be unveiled in next week's budget, The Australian Financial Review reports on Thursday.

After a four year freeze, it's understood the government will begin a staggered return to linking some rebates to inflation from July, but the majority of the estimated $3 billion cost will be borne in 2018/19 and 2019/20.