No one was going to be happy if a Medicare rebate for seeing a doctor was cut by $20, but the way in which the policy was being brought in before it was ultimately dumped last week made the negative reaction all the stronger.
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The change to the sum received for short visits was put in place days out from Christmas and some patients may only have learnt of it days away from it taking effect.
Not only that, but the government hardly explained its reason for cutting the rebate - to save $1.3 billion.
Health minister Sussan Ley was on holidays last week - the week before the change was to take effect - until she returned to work early to announce the $20 cut had been dropped.
In the days since it's been reported a backbench revolt was threatening if the reduced rebate was carried out.
Queensland Liberal Bert van Manen was on the money when he said the government needed to open up discussions with the community and argue the case for change, rather than surprising voters with policies.
"There's an old saying 'Before you harvest a field, you need to sow the seeds'. We're failing to sow the seeds," he told Fairfax Media.
"We need to have discussions with the community about why we should be mounting these changes.
"It's about communicating the message and that's not being done."
We realise someone has to pay for health care and that the health budget needs to be funded.
But we would also like there to be wide discussion about how this was best achieved.
The government needs to rethink its approach to implementing any new policy.
