The Healthcare System in New Zealand
New Zealand’s healthcare system is a universal public system. It is one of the top 20 healthcare systems in the world, comparable to those of the United States and the United Kingdom.
With the 1938 Social Security Act, New Zealand introduced universal and free healthcare into law. The Act requires that all New Zealand citizens have equal access to the same standard of treatment within an integrated, preventive healthcare system.
Here’s what expats and digital nomads need to know about New Zealand’s healthcare system.
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Does New Zealand Have Free Healthcare?
The cost of healthcare in New Zealand varies. The public healthcare system in New Zealand operates as a single-payer healthcare system. The government covers the majority of healthcare costs using public tax money, accounting for up to 9% of New Zealand’s GDP.
Government funding means that the New Zealand healthcare system, for citizens and permanent residents, is either free or low-cost. Hospital and specialist care are covered if the patient is referred by a general practitioner (GP).
Free medical services can include diagnostic tests, immunizations, cancer treatment, and appointments, as well as dental care and prescription medication for children.
To see a GP at a standard medical practice, patients pay a fee, between $19 and $55. Seeing a GP at an after-hours clinic can cost $75 or more. Individuals earning below a certain annual income may qualify for a Community Services Card (CSC).
For health care, this reduces the cost of GP visits and prescription medication costs.
Many prescription medications are subsidized at an average cost of $5. To be funded, drugs must be approved by PHARMAC, the health authority. If a medication is not approved by PHARMAC, it may still be available in New Zealand, but at a much higher cost.
Who is Eligible For New Zealand Healthcare?
Are you covered for public health care in New Zealand? You may be, even as an expatriate. You are covered for New Zealand healthcare if you are a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident. You are also covered if you are a worker on a New Zealand work visa valid for 2 years or more.
New Zealand has reciprocal healthcare agreements that provide some coverage, especially emergency care, to citizens of Australia and the United Kingdom. However, there are restrictions and limitations in place.
Digital nomads on a tourist or visitor visa of 6 months or less usually are not eligible.
Private Health Insurance for Expats in New Zealand
Outside of these categories, you will need to pay for your health care while in New Zealand.
If you are in New Zealand on a working holiday visa or a student visa, you are required to pay for private health insurance. If you are pregnant and visiting, you must be able to cover the costs of your maternity care. Learn more about maternity care for visitors and expats in New Zealand here.
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How to Access Healthcare in New Zealand
There are several different ways to access healthcare in New Zealand, including public medical practices, after-hours centers, hospitals, and specialists. Here is how you might access each type of care.
Are you living in New Zealand for a year or longer? If you are, sign up with a medical center and a GP. Your medical center and GP will be your first point of care. They can provide over-the-phone prescription renewals and referrals for services like cancer screening.
You can also sign up to access your medical records online.
Do you need medical care on the weekend or late at night? After-hours clinics take walk-in appointments to see a GP quickly. Expect to pay a higher fee than at a standard GP. After-hours care is often supported by an after-hours pharmacy, allowing you to obtain medications promptly.
Are you having an emergency? Go to your nearest hospital’s emergency room. Although New Zealanders try to avoid emergency rooms due to long wait times, you will receive excellent care.
Do you need to see a specialist? You may ask your GP to refer you to a specialist. Be aware that the public system’s waiting time to see certain specialists, such as dermatologists or psychiatrists, can be 3 to 9 months.
You can also make a private appointment with a specialist in private practice. Most specialists charge several hundred dollars per appointment, before factoring in test fees and other expenses. If you must see a private specialist, the cost of healthcare in New Zealand notably increases.
You will have the best access to New Zealand’s healthcare system in a town or city. If you are in a rural area, you will have limited access to GPs and specialists, including midwives, dentists, and opticians.
Private Health Insurance for New Zealand Citizens
Private health insurance can reduce the wait time and cost associated with seeing a specialist. This is a major reason why more New Zealanders are now choosing the support of a private health insurance policy.
In New Zealand, private health insurance provides patients with a wide choice of specialists and the opportunity to receive treatment in private hospitals, often with shorter waiting times. Private hospitals in New Zealand provide a more private and comfortable overall experience.
Private health insurance can support a wider range of prescription medications. It often provides some coverage for drugs that PHARMAC does not fund. There may be a price cap, or the coverage may only be available when you are ill enough to be hospitalized. Check your insurance and ask questions.
Private health insurance often offers dental and vision options. For adults, dental and vision care is not supported in New Zealand unless you have a Community Services Card. This means that wise use of dental and vision options can bring a good return on the cost of private health insurance.
ACC Coverage After Accidents
Everyone in New Zealand, including visitors, tourists, and expats, is entitled to free medical care for accidental injuries. This is known as the ACC or Accident Compensation Corporation program. It is a crucial aspect of healthcare in New Zealand.
ACC is funded by taxes and focused levies, including a levy paid by people working as private contractors in New Zealand.
If you get hurt under accidental circumstances in New Zealand, you are covered, even if you caused the accident. This includes everything from hiking mishaps to automobile accidents. When you visit a GP or hospital, you’ll be asked to fill out a form so the ACC program will cover the cost of your care.
While ACC is a good program, it’s not a substitute for comprehensive medical insurance. As with specialist care, ACC approvals can involve long waits and frustrating delays. Expats and digital nomads should carry their own private insurance plan.
Challenges and Changes
The New Zealand healthcare system has some problems. Like many countries with a single-payer system, New Zealand struggles with long waiting times and other inefficiencies.
Patients with complex needs often require self-advocacy. And it is challenging when PHARMAC does not fund a recommended medication for treatment.
New Zealand is working towards improving its healthcare system. One change is to have healthcare for Māori and Pasifika communities driven by the communities themselves. The Ministry of Health is also improving regional access to healthcare for consistent service and funding.
New Zealand’s health care system remains robust. Its well-planned response to the COVID-19 pandemic was praised by medical experts worldwide. The majority of New Zealanders are vaccinated against COVID-19.
Overall, you can be confident that the New Zealand health care system is working to provide high-quality care.
Find the Best International Medical Insurance
- Compare multiple quotes from top insurers
- Get expert advice at no additional cost
- Find the right plan for your needs and budget
Emily Cotlier is an experienced communications consultant and business analyst, senior analyst at New Zealand’s Parliamentary Counsel Office, specializing in visas, immigration, international relocation, and managing finance, insurance, and real estate.
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