The former adviser to Tony Abbott who proposed a $6 fee to visit the doctor has welcomed reports that the Coalition government has adopted his idea, but has called for it to go further and impose a means test on Medicare bulk-billing.

Terry Barnes, who worked for Mr Abbott when he was health minister in the Howard government, proposed the $6 fee in a submission to the National Commission of Audit on behalf of the Australian Centre for Health Research, calculating it would save $750 million over four years by reducing unnecessary GP visits.

Health Minister Peter Dutton has argued that the current rate of growth in health spending is unsustainable. Credit:Rohan Thomson

News Corp reported on Tuesday that the Abbott government's expenditure review committee had decided to include the change in its first budget. Patients would not have to pay the fee after their 12th visit in each year, meaning the extra burden on an individual patient would be capped at $72 a year, News Corp reported.

The government has not confirmed the report. Asked about the report on ABC radio on Tuesday, the Assistant Minister for Social Services, Mitch Fifield said he would not comment on budget speculation. Health Minister Peter Dutton has been contacted for comment.