▁announced ▁such ▁plans , ▁and ▁Services ▁Australia ▁( known ▁as ▁Department ▁of ▁Human ▁Services ▁at ▁the ▁time ) ▁denied ▁sending ▁the ▁message . ▁It ▁had ▁instead ▁been ▁sent ▁by ▁the ▁Queensland ▁branch ▁of ▁the ▁Australian ▁Labor ▁Party . ▁The ▁fur ore ▁over ▁the ▁text ▁brought ▁attention ▁to ▁the ▁value ▁of ▁Medic are ▁to ▁Austral ians . ▁The ▁affair ▁was ▁widely ▁dub bed ▁" Med isc are ," ▁which ▁in ▁turn ▁was ▁used ▁to ▁describe ▁fear s ▁of ▁the ▁Liberal ▁National ▁Party ' s ▁alleg ed ▁de volution ▁of ▁Medic are . ▁ ▁Fund ing ▁of ▁scheme ▁ ▁Medic are ▁le vy ▁Medic are ▁is ▁presently ▁nomin ally ▁fund ed ▁by ▁an ▁income ▁tax ▁sur charge , ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Medic are ▁le vy , ▁which ▁is ▁currently ▁ 2 % ▁of ▁a ▁resident ▁tax p ayer ' s ▁tax able ▁income . ▁However , ▁re venue ▁raised ▁by ▁the ▁le vy ▁falls ▁far ▁short ▁of ▁fund ing ▁the ▁entire ty ▁of ▁Medic are ▁exp end iture , ▁and ▁any ▁short fall ▁is ▁paid ▁out ▁of ▁general ▁government ▁exp end iture . ▁ ▁The ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁budget ▁increased ▁the ▁Medic are ▁le vy ▁from ▁ 1 . 5 % ▁to ▁ 2 % ▁from ▁ 1 ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁ost ens ibly ▁to ▁fund ▁the ▁National ▁Dis ability ▁In sur ance ▁Sch eme . ▁The ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁budget ▁proposed ▁to ▁increase ▁the ▁Medic are ▁le vy ▁from ▁ 2 % ▁to ▁ 2 .