Information for New Zealand Immigrants: Investigation on Public Health Care in New Zealand

# New Zealand Immigrants # Introduction New Zealand's medical care has been doing well, so what is the public medical care situation in New Zealand? This is a topic of interest to many people abroad. Let's look at public health care in New Zealand. Welcome to reading.

Who can participate in public health care in New Zealand?

New Zealand citizens, long-term residents or foreign residents with work visas of 24 months or more and their families can get free or subsidized medical services in New Zealand.

Those who meet the above conditions will automatically receive public medical services provided by the government, without having to pay taxes or other payment records. In New Zealand, the government does not levy a tax on special medical services.

What benefits does public health care in New Zealand include?

Get free medical services in public hospitals.

Medical services provided by emergency centers, specialist outpatient departments and inpatient departments in public hospitals, as well as X-ray, ultrasound, CT and other imaging examinations and medical laboratory tests in hospitals are completely free. Accommodation during hospitalization in the hospital is also completely free.

The government subsidizes the outpatient and laboratory fees of general practitioners.

In New Zealand, most general clinics and medical centers are private medical institutions. The medical expenses for seeing a doctor are beyond the scope of public medical care, and you need to pay for the medical expenses yourself. However, the New Zealand Government will subsidize outpatient fees. Ordinary adults can get a subsidy of 10 ~ 20 New Zealand dollars, and low-income people can get a government subsidy of up to 35 New Zealand dollars for medical treatment. Doctors in many clinics provide free treatment for children under six.

In addition, if the attending doctor gives you a physical examination, the relevant expenses will be paid by the government, not you.

Drug subsidy

New Zealand government lists drug subsidies. Patients who buy prescription drugs listed on the list at public expense can get subsidies.

When patients buy prescription drugs at public expense, regardless of the drug price, the amount paid by individuals for each drug does not exceed 15 NZD, and the rest of the drug costs are subsidized by the government.

Patients at public expense can attend PrimaryHealthOrganization (PHO) in New Zealand, and the general practitioner of PHO will give you a prescription. Generally, the individual pays no more than 5 New Zealand dollars for each medicine. Prescription drugs for specialists are generally NZD 15 for each drug. Prescription drugs for children under the age of six are basically free.

Free maternal and child health care service

In New Zealand, free maternal and child health care services are provided during pregnancy and delivery, including prenatal examination, delivery, postpartum examination, newborn care and follow-up.

Usually, after the diagnosis of pregnancy, you need to choose a leader (LMC) who is responsible for obstetric care to take charge of the whole process of pregnancy and delivery. The medical staff in charge of pregnant women are generally midwives, who will give you prenatal examination, be responsible for midwifery during delivery and follow-up between mother and baby after delivery. These are all free.

Low-income adults and children can get free basic dental medical services.

The New Zealand government only provides very limited dental services to adults, and low-income adults with community service cards can get free basic dental treatment and emergency dental treatment.

Children and adolescents (/kloc-under 0/8 years old) can get comprehensive and free basic dental treatment, including preventive examination, basic dental treatment and some dental specialist treatment. But some dental cosmetology is not free.

Everyone can get ACC accident insurance.

The New Zealand government has set up a special organization-Accidental Compensation Company (ACC) to provide personal injury insurance for everyone.

If you are injured accidentally in New Zealand, your medical expenses for doctor's clinic, hospitalization, X-ray examination, medical laboratory test, prescription drugs, physiotherapy and acupuncture will be reimbursed by the Accident Compensation Bureau.

How to use public medical care to see a doctor?

After obtaining public medical qualification in New Zealand, you generally need to go through a general practitioner before you can see a doctor. General practitioners can diagnose and treat many common diseases. When general practitioners think it is necessary, they will refer patients to specialists or hospitals. If it is an emergency or trauma, you can go directly to the emergency center of a public hospital.

What if I can't participate in free medical care?

If you can't participate in New Zealand's universal health insurance, such as foreigners who hold work visas for a short time and travel to New Zealand. You can get medical and travel accident protection in New Zealand by purchasing medical insurance.