xpat19

After reading Dottys well timed thread on private health care in Australia, has anyone experienced Surgery/healthcare in NZ without private insurance ?
We're in the process of getting quotes on cover for the family and, as with any insurance, debating whether it's worth the extra expense ( I suspect it is )

jajpe

Excellent question!! And one I have been meaning to ask for ages!! I susspect it is going to be advisable to have private health care in NZ as they complain of long waiting lists for non urgent surgery etc. I would love to know though if they are as long as they are in Britain, or are they like their Traffic jams!! (you know, they think they have congestion in NZ cities but compared to most world cities/large towns, it's a walk in the park!!) - Everythings relative I suppose!!

Look forward to the replies you get!

MaryMc

Yep, always a good idea to get private health care here, especially if you have a family.
We use Southern Cross, my hubbys work pays half and we pay half.
Quite a few work places will offer this.

For example, my daughter has just had an ultrasound and is now going to see a specialist for a gastroscopy....total cost, $510.
Plus two $45 doctors visits to refer her.
Wouldn't like to pay that out of our own pocket! (That's an average take home pay for many folk here)

Yes, the waiting lists can be long. An elderly person may wait for a couple of years for a hip replacement for example.

A cancer sufferer on the news last week was having to wait 6 months for his chemo..not good.

MaryMc

xpat19

On behalf of Jajpe and myself - Thanks for that !
You're right of course, you never know whats around the corner and with me reaching the grand old age of 40......
We are looking at surgical cover with an excess of $300 for a family of 4 which is $95 a month - I guess that's about average. On the advise of the sales person, we'll pay our own doctors fees as and when , which iare $45 per adult and $25 per child..... Still can't get over having to pay for childrens medical care but then we don't pay national insurance so It probably works out cheaper.

MaryMc

You're welcome

MaryMc

southerner

I would think the health system is fairly much like UKs, and the decision to have private insurance is much the same too.

An option in both countries is to not have private insurance, and to be prepared to pay to go private if the need arises. This is a viable option if you afford to keep some readies just in case, and on average is likely to be cheaper but a bit riskier.

All urgent or life threatening treatment is covered by the public healthcare system.

southerner

But if work pays for some of it, or if there are any tax breaks, then that would swing me towards having insurance.