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-   -   Diabetes - Medical Supplies price/costs thoughts (https://britishexpats.com/forum/new-zealand-83/diabetes-medical-supplies-price-costs-thoughts-902727/)

originalsauce Aug 31st 2017 5:45 pm

Diabetes - Medical Supplies price/costs thoughts
 
Hi all,

I'm hoping someone could help with my Diabetes supplies and how it works plus pricing coming from the UK on a working visa (23 month).

from my understanding please confirm of course if i have it totally wrong.

to gain medical supplies i would need to:
  1. Visit a GP which will cost me $45(?)
  2. gain a prescription for the required items
  3. pay $5? per listed item i.e Novorapid as i'm from the UK (reciprocal)
  4. Collect from a chemist who charge a dispense fee of 1% or so(?)

what im not sure about is -
  • where can i make sure all my items are available on subsidized prescription?
  • if i am entitled to subsided prescription on a visa less than 2 years?
  • if i need to visit a GP every time i need a prescription for a repeat or do i get 3 months say and have to return?

sorry for all the questions but would really appreciate a hand with this , thanks!;)

Reylan Aug 31st 2017 7:57 pm

Re: Diabetes - Medical Supplies price/costs thoughts
 

Originally Posted by originalsauce (Post 12328802)
Hi all,

I'm hoping someone could help with my Diabetes supplies and how it works plus pricing coming from the UK on a working visa (23 month).

from my understanding please confirm of course if i have it totally wrong.

to gain medical supplies i would need to:
  1. Visit a GP which will cost me $45(?)
  2. gain a prescription for the required items
  3. pay $5? per listed item i.e Novorapid as i'm from the UK (reciprocal)
  4. Collect from a chemist who charge a dispense fee of 1% or so(?)

what im not sure about is -
  • where can i make sure all my items are available on subsidized prescription?
  • if i am entitled to subsided prescription on a visa less than 2 years?
  • if i need to visit a GP every time i need a prescription for a repeat or do i get 3 months say and have to return?

sorry for all the questions but would really appreciate a hand with this , thanks!;)

Hi there, sorry, can't tell you about your eligibility for susbsidised scrips but from my own experience (not for diabetes just general)-

- Pay $43 currently for an appointment at which you get a presciption and then pay $5 per item at the pharmacy (no pharmacy surcharge). This covers 3 months meds.
- $15 for a repeat prescription + $5 per item again
- Yearly medication checks with GP so can get 3 repeats between visits.

However, with something like diabetes you may have to see the GP more often for check ups.

I'm sure someone will be able to clarify the rest.

MrsFychan Aug 31st 2017 8:08 pm

Re: Diabetes - Medical Supplies price/costs thoughts
 

Originally Posted by originalsauce (Post 12328802)
  1. Visit a GP which will cost me $45(?) Depends on the surgery ours is $48
  2. gain a prescription for the required items, Correct
  3. pay $5? per listed item i.e Novorapid as i'm from the UK (reciprocal) Yes $5 per item
  4. Collect from a chemist who charge a dispense fee of 1% or so(?)
Never heard of this

what im not sure about is -
  • where can i make sure all my items are available on subsidized prescription? Not sure what you mean by this, you get a script from the GP and go to chemist to get it fulfilled.
  • if i am entitled to subsided prescription on a visa less than 2 years? Under 2 years you do not get subsidised health care,
    so you will have to pay the unsubsidised costs which could be up in the $80.00's
    https://www.newzealandnow.govt.nz/living-in-nz/healthcare/paying-for-healthcare-services
  • if i need to visit a GP every time i need a prescription for a repeat or do i get 3 months say and have to return? Repeat prescriptions cost us $17.00 each, again how often depends on the Surgery, and this is subsidised cost so you may well have to pay more.

sorry for all the questions but would really appreciate a hand with this , thanks!;)

Don't be sorry, just keep asking, what we are here for.

escapedtonz Sep 1st 2017 9:33 am

Re: Diabetes - Medical Supplies price/costs thoughts
 

Originally Posted by originalsauce (Post 12328802)
Hi all,

I'm hoping someone could help with my Diabetes supplies and how it works plus pricing coming from the UK on a working visa (23 month).

from my understanding please confirm of course if i have it totally wrong.

to gain medical supplies i would need to:
  1. Visit a GP which will cost me $45(?)
  2. gain a prescription for the required items
  3. pay $5? per listed item i.e Novorapid as i'm from the UK (reciprocal)
  4. Collect from a chemist who charge a dispense fee of 1% or so(?)
what im not sure about is -
  • where can i make sure all my items are available on subsidized prescription?
  • if i am entitled to subsided prescription on a visa less than 2 years?
  • if i need to visit a GP every time i need a prescription for a repeat or do i get 3 months say and have to return?
sorry for all the questions but would really appreciate a hand with this , thanks!;)

I was always led to believe that a temporary work visa had to be for a minimum of 24 months to make you eligible for subsidized treatment in NZ so I'm of the opinion you are at the wrong side of the rule and you'll be classed as a temporary migrant so will have to pay the full cost for health treatment apart from emergency care which is free to everyone.


1. First you will need to register with a GP and you will then have to have a new patient consultation and practice nurse medical which will cost you around $100 maybe ?
Then, and only then will you be able to visit the GP, get a consultation and obtain a prescription with maximum 3 months supply of any meds. That consultation may cost you $75 per time if considered temporary migrant or as you say $45 if considered permanent...however the fees do vary depending on the area you live and the GP practice you are registered at.


2. If you need meds, your GP consultation includes the cost of a script.


3. You then take the script to a pharmacy who will charge you $5 per item, however the charge may be more if your medication is not fully subsidized in NZ.......and I'm not sure if these pharmacy charges are higher for people who are not considered permanent migrants ?


4. No. See above.


I can help to find out if a particular medication is subsidized in NZ as my wife is a practice nurse. You can PM me so long as you've posted 3 times.


You can find out eligibility here :-
http://www.health.govt.nz/new-zealan...ealth-services


You won't need to visit a GP every time you need a prescription for meds if the condition is long term. A script should give you 3 months supply but you may need to ask the GP for sufficient meds to cover this period.
You can just do repeats but there will be a limit to how many repeats before you need to have a GP consultation again and of course you have to pay for prescription repeats $20 ish I think......... it may be 3 repeats maximum at our GP's so you could go a full year before having to sit down with the GP again for a long term condition.

inkedneonurse Sep 1st 2017 11:31 am

Re: Diabetes - Medical Supplies price/costs thoughts
 
Hi

I maybe pointing out the elephant in the room here and speaking out of turn, has your visa been granted? If you are diabetic you may have a rough ride with the assessors?

Bo-Jangles Sep 1st 2017 11:41 am

Re: Diabetes - Medical Supplies price/costs thoughts
 
$5 cost per item is for fully funded items; there are others medicines that are not funded at all or only partially funded for which you have to pay more.

There is a schedule of funded items here: https://www.pharmac.govt.nz/about/yo...ical-schedule/

Prescription charges | Ministry of Health NZ

MrsFychan Sep 1st 2017 8:07 pm

Re: Diabetes - Medical Supplies price/costs thoughts
 

Originally Posted by Bo-Jangles (Post 12329258)
$5 cost per item is for fully funded items; there are others medicines that are not funded at all or only partially funded for which you have to pay more.

There is a schedule of funded items here: https://www.pharmac.govt.nz/about/yo...ical-schedule/

Prescription charges | Ministry of Health NZ

So if anyone is on a less than 2 year visa does this mean they are not entitled to pay the funded prices ?

Bo-Jangles Sep 1st 2017 11:38 pm

Re: Diabetes - Medical Supplies price/costs thoughts
 

Originally Posted by MrsFychan (Post 12329582)
So if anyone is on a less than 2 year visa does this mean they are not entitled to pay the funded prices ?

I think so, anything less than 2 years is covered by the reciprocal agreement but reciprocal agreement only covers new and urgent stuff so wouldn't cover a pre-existing consition such as diabetes.

Reciprocal health agreements | Ministry of Health NZ

originalsauce Oct 1st 2017 4:43 pm

Re: Diabetes - Medical Supplies price/costs thoughts
 

Originally Posted by inkedneonurse (Post 12329255)
Hi

I maybe pointing out the elephant in the room here and speaking out of turn, has your visa been granted? If you are diabetic you may have a rough ride with the assessors?

My visa was indeed granted, It did give me the worries after my medical was referred but seems to be common when yiu have a medical condition according to the medical team here in london.

Just wanted to say thank you all for the messages, it's a real stress getting all this sorted and planning to take as much medication as I can over to not have to worry for a while ;)

BEVS Oct 1st 2017 8:27 pm

Re: Diabetes - Medical Supplies price/costs thoughts
 

Originally Posted by Bo-Jangles (Post 12329258)
$5 cost per item is for fully funded items; there are others medicines that are not funded at all or only partially funded for which you have to pay more.

There is a schedule of funded items here: https://www.pharmac.govt.nz/about/yo...ical-schedule/

Prescription charges | Ministry of Health NZ

Correct. Also what might be offered overseas may not be what is offered here in NZ.

BEVS Oct 1st 2017 8:33 pm

Re: Diabetes - Medical Supplies price/costs thoughts
 

Originally Posted by inkedneonurse (Post 12329255)
Hi

I maybe pointing out the elephant in the room here and speaking out of turn, has your visa been granted? If you are diabetic you may have a rough ride with the assessors?

The OP has been granted a temporary visa. The health requirements for that differ a bit from that of a resident visa. The hurdle may come at a later stage if the OP pursues that avenue so best get those ducks in a row.


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