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Health Care in New Zealand

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adminee
  5/25/2011 13:20 EST

For many newcomers and those considering living in New Zealand, access to quality medical care is a top priority. Please help those moving to your area by posting your experiences with the local health care system. Also, include any information about health insurance in New Zealand. Be sure to post the name of your city, region or town.

hal9000
  8/12/2011 13:39 EST

Had pretty good experience with socialized medicine in NZ for minor issues, flu, broken bones, etc.
Two things to note:
1) "free" dentist visits for children don't include novacane. We discovered after sending our daughter to the school recommended dentist and hearing her screams from the examination room. You have to pay extra for pain killer.
2) My wife had a heart attack - her immediate treatment was good but Wellington hospital was dirty and showers were covered in mold. After she got out of hospital she was told that she would be allowed a follow-up with a cardiologist in 12 months. We decided to move back to the US to better protect her health.

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Disillusioned
  1/16/2012 05:43 EST

I was wondering the same thing. My husband and I want to move to either AUS to NZ with our son mainly due to the health care scam going on here in the US. Even covered under an employer, we are not able to afford deductibles, co-insurance, co-payments, prescriptions, etc etc! We want a better system. We want a system that won't turn it's back on us when we need it the most- like when we're old or if God forbid we were to get very ill. Is the health care system in New Zealand that bad?! You're always covered. You will never have a lapse in insurance. Your provider can't take away your insurance, you won't end up BROKE and penniless...

misskitty
  5/29/2012 22:24 EST

Im sorry I cannot help with regards to treatment for non residents, however I for all New Zealand citizens
(and possibly permanent residents also? not sure) Public Hospital treatment is free. This includes urgent emergency an non urgent (waiting lists apply) Doctors visits cost about $40 for an adult plus medication costs, and most common medicines e.g. Antibiotics are subsidised by the government and cost $5 per perscription. Again this info relates to New Zealand citizens and I am not sure how this applies to non residents.

hal9000
  5/30/2012 09:35 EST

NZ free care also applies to persons with work permit & residence permits. We were there on a work permit when my wife had her heart attack and she was covered.

katrina147
  1/17/2013 10:14 EST

Hi,
I'm moving to Wellington from London in a couple of weeks time, I have a job and a temporary work visa to cover me for 1 year, do I need to purchase health insurance for while I'm there? Are dentists included?
Any help much appreciated,

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rizic
  8/7/2013 15:42 EST

This is a reply to all. Sorry to hear of the bad conditions in Welly! Yes, it`s all socialized here and cheap for it....just paid thru everyone`s taxes. My Mother was here for a holiday and she was able to get free help...? A&E for emergencies but get a doctor set up. There can be a wait for more important needs so eat right, alternative stuff and just stay healthy and don`t get injured!

rjdibert
  1/13/2014 20:03 EST

I have been in both systems, actually 4: insured as an academic in the states, uninsured as an older student in the states and here in NZ I have had the best Southern Cross policy (private but not meant to be profit-making) and used the public system for major surgeries as well as my surgeon likes the public hospital here in Whanganui as it has the newer equipment...but people do DIE on the waiting list and ACC (government accident agency that allows you to get followups, care, xrays if you are involved in an accident and serves sports royally but all else as second class in my opinion!)is at the whim of the government in power. As the year progresses fewer things get done as the budget dwindles. It does depend on where you live and I have have high praise in the main for our local hospital and it's personal, however, you are put on a prioritised list and as you age you are placed further down the list it seems as I watch friends over 70 wait, and wait. I have been here 20 years and it is really a mixed system. Females in the states assume they can see a gynochologist (sorry sp) once a year. My GP has not been able to put forward a good enough cause for me to see one in 6 years since my hysterectamy though there is a history of tumours in my famiy as it is not seen as sufficient cause as gyno is a specialist and those appointments are limited. Apointments are often limited in many practices to 10 minutes. What you get with Obamacare, once it settles down and if you are in paid employment may be better...and you cannot just relocate here to use the health system. If you have current health issues and no job to come to and insufficient funds to pass the financial hurdles you won't get residency unless you have a needed job skill and are still young.
There are co-payments here too.If I were you I would do your research carefully. I was told I wouldn't need insurance before I accepted a job here but I ended up paying $250 a fortnight for it for 17 years to cover the possibilities that the system here doesn't cover and even made a trip to the Mayo Clinic early on when a number of my issues went undiagnosed.

rjdibert
  1/13/2014 20:09 EST

Dental insurance (and dental care) in NZ is expensive. Of course Wellington is one of the most expensive cities. A clean in our small regional centre is about$100 but most dentists won't touch you without xrays, again $100. I don;t know if you can even get dental coverage for a year. If you are lucky you may get something with your job, it may not be too late to request coverage of your employer. A few employers will do co-pays with Southern Cross,(perhaps others) you can ck costs on line.Wellington is a great city...very windy and cold though! But you don;t need a car and great art and culture scene!

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