RICHMOND MP Justine Elliot has condemned the Turnbull Government rejection of an application for a full Medicare MRI Licence for the Tweed Hospital.

The application was rejected earlier this month by Health Minister Sussan Ley because it came outside of a licence application round.

In a letter addressed to Mrs Elliot, the Health Minister said the eligibility for an MRI application has not been expanded for several years by the Government.

"Since its introduction on the Medicare Benefits Schedule, MRI has been carefully managed through a series of targeted application processes as well as provider, requestor and item level restriction,” Ms Ley said.

"Policy priorities will be considered within this context and additional expenditure will be considered when it is responsible to so.

"This would include any consideration of expanding Medicare eligibility for MRI units.”

Mrs Elliot said the minster's response was unacceptable.

"We're not asking for anything extravagant, we just want our fair share of medical services for the people in our region,” Mrs Elliot said.

Mrs Elliot said she planned to keep pressuring the Government to provide the licence.

"I stand with our community and will continue to call on the Turnbull government to commit to a full Medicare MRI licence at the Tweed hospital and I urge locals to sign my petition,” she said.

Mrs Ley said her department would notify relevant radiology industry groups if an opportunity arose for MRI Medicare eligibility.