5. MARYAN STREET (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
What reports has he received on the success of the 1 July roll-out of affordable primary health care to 45 to 64-year-olds?
Hon PETE HODGSON (Minister of Health) Link to this
The 1 July roll-out of cheaper doctors’ fees and lower-cost prescription drugs was the most successful stage of the Primary Health Care Strategy to date, with nearly 100 percent of practices on board. Nearly 700,000 New Zealanders saw the cost of doctors’ visits drop by around $27 and are now paying no more than $3 for most prescription medicines. This is what can be achieved when Governments invest in the health of families instead of having reckless tax cuts for the wealthy.
I have seen reports that the lowering of fees has been welcomed from groups right across the New Zealand health sector. I have, however, seen proposals to raise doctors’ fees for New Zealanders in the 45 to 64-year-old age group and stop all future extensions of the strategy, to free up $500 million to pay for tax cuts. That proposal is from the National Party, and it is another reminder of why its members will be warming the Opposition benches for a lot longer than 9 years.
Dr Jonathan Coleman Link to this
Can the Minister confirm that of the roll-out money for cheaper doctors’ visits for middle-aged people, only $3 million will be spent on community service cardholders—the New Zealanders with the worst health and the greatest financial needs—while $60 million will go to people who do not have community service cards; and is this really the best way of targeting those people with the greatest health needs?
The National Party just does not like universality, does it? It does not like it. It does not like the idea that one can have a right as a citizen of this country and that that right is available to one, irrespective of one’s condition. The reason community service cardholders have a lower decrease in their fees is that they already had a larger decrease in their fees, earlier. I have one other question for the member, however: who is the Opposition spokesperson on health? Dr Jonathan Coleman is listed in last night’s Australian High Commissioner’s residence do as the Opposition spokesperson on health. Is that what has happened, because I thought it was that guy there?
Madam SPEAKER
Hon Dr Nick Smith Link to this
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. If the Minister would like to ask questions, I would be happy for him to sit on this side of the House, and I am sure we will be happy to take up the seats on the Government side.
Barbara StewartIs the Minister aware of reports that some general practitioners are charging up to $18 to see an under-6-year-old child, and what action is his Government taking to make health care for under-sixes free, as it once was?
The member raises a good question, as she usually does. I am hopeful we will be able to reduce somewhat the incidence of charging under-6-year-olds, but I do remind the member that the median fee for under-6-year-olds is zero—that is to say, most practices charge under-6-year-olds nothing at all.
How can the Minister have confidence that he has ensured low fees for middle-aged New Zealanders when Hawke’s Bay and Otago practices have raised their fees since 1 July?