Hon Pete Hodgson
Minister of Health

1 July 2007 Media Statement
Embargoed until 1pm

We promised and we have delivered

A major milestone in the delivery of healthcare to all New Zealanders was reached today with the universal roll out of cheaper doctor visits and cheaper prescription charges.

"This is an achievement I am immensely proud of, this is a day worth celebrating," Health Minister Pete Hodgson says.

"From the gutted health system we inherited from National, Labour has invested $2.2 billion in primary healthcare over the past seven years, an investment in the health and well-being of all New Zealanders.

" Labour has always said cost should never be a barrier to visiting the family doctor. This final roll out for the 25-44 aged group means another roughly one million New Zealanders now have access to affordable primary healthcare."

For a young family, the annual cost of going to a general practitioner has fallen from about $940 a year on average to around $440 while for an older couple who on average paid about $780 year, the cost is now around $340 a year.

The price of GP visits had already fallen by around half for New Zealanders aged 45 and over and those aged 24 years and younger.

The cost of prescriptions has also fallen with the standard charge decreasing from around $15 to $3.

With almost 4 million New Zealanders now enrolled in Primary Health Organisations, there is the opportunity to tackle big, community-wide health problems through preventative healthcare such as increased screening for breast cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

"Rebuilding the health system has also given doctors, nurses and other health workers the tools they need to improve the health of their communities.

"The health of New Zealanders has never been better and we will continue our work to make it better still," Pete Hodgson says.

ENDS

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