9. MARYAN STREET (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
Has he received any reports on the average annual cost of visiting a general practitioner?
Hon PETE HODGSON (Minister of Health) Link to this
Yes, I have, and the costs have all gone down: from $940 a year for an average family to $440 a year. In other words, they have halved. The question that is unanswered, however, is whether, under National, they would then double.
Can New Zealanders be confident that they will continue to access affordable and quality primary health care under Labour?
Yes, they certainly can. I can assure the House that under a Labour-led Government from 2008, access to a general practitioner or to a prescription will remain at the affordable levels that we have now achieved. I repeat that the unanswered question is whether, under National, the costs of that would then double.