From 1 December 2018, several changes will take place to provide New Zealanders with greater access to primary care. The changes are part of Budget 2018 and include:
- Extending access to low-cost general practice visits for all Community Services Card (CSC) holders, including injury-related visits (ACC)
- Extending CSC eligibility to all people receiving accommodation supplements or who are tenants in social housing
- Extending zero-fee general practice visits and exemption from the standard prescription co-payment charge (usually $5 per item) on subsidised prescription items for children under the age of 14. This includes after-hours services and injury-related visits (ACC).
To prepare for the new initiatives, general practices and PHOs are undertaking several actions and making some changes to business processes. Regular bulletins are being prepared to support implementation
If you have any queries or need more information about the extended access to primary care services, please refer to the online bulletins updates for contact information or email primary_care@moh.govt.nz