One of the biggest concerns of Brits emigrating is what the healthcare system is like in their new country and whether they’ll have to pay for treatment.
Article written by The Overseas Guides Company
Here Pattie Pegler, Christchurch resident and writer of NewZealandBuyingGuide.com, introduces healthcare in New Zealand
New Zealand has a good publically funded healthcare system. Broadly speaking those with permanent residence visas, citizenship or two year working visas are all eligible for free healthcare under the system, but if your situation is unusual in any way it’s worth checking the Ministry of Health website for eligibility criteria rather than taking it for granted.
There are many similarities to the healthcare system in the UK. The system here is usually accessed via your local doctor, who then refers you on to specialists if necessary. Waiting lists and services available do vary between regions, and if you live in a really rural area you should expect to travel some distance to access specialist care.
Generally, publically funded treatment in New Zealand is good and emergency treatment is readily available at public hospitals but, much like the UK, any health service that is free is going to get busy and over-subscribed. The Ministry of Health say that people can expect to wait up to six months for what they categorise as “electives” – that is treatment that is not urgent.
So the question on whether to take up private health insurance really depends on whether you are prepared to wait for treatment or not. Much as in the UK, private healthcare can offer you peace of mind and quicker treatment than you might receive going through the public system.
Should you opt for private health insurance then there are several large providers in New Zealand. Southern Cross Healthcare is one of the most heavily advertised and seemingly quite popular with a network of private hospitals across the country. They offer plans that cover all aspects of healthcare from just surgery or specialist and surgical treatment, right through to plans that will cover your dental costs and the like.
You can do a quick online assessment to get an idea of how much it might cost you to take out health insurance, when I did it for my husband and I, it quoted us $55 (approx. £28) per week for surgical and specialist cover. Of course, like all health insurance, the devil is in the detail, so if you have pre-existing conditions you will need to do some careful research as to what you are covered for before you purchase a policy.
If you find the whole private healthcare thing a bit bewildering then you could always go through a broker. They can help you get a handle on the cover available and decide what is the best bet for your situation.
To view details of properties for sale in New Zealand, take a look at the NZ listings on Rightmove Overseas. When emigrating to New Zealand or buying property there, using a currency exchange specialist rather than a bank to transfer your pounds to NZ dollars could save you thousands. Smart Currency Exchange can help you do this – for more information download their free guide by clicking here.
To understand the full step-by-step process to buying a property in New Zealand, collect The Overseas Guides Company’s ‘New Zealand Property Buying Guide’
The views and comments herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Rightmove Overseas, Rightmove Group Ltd or Rightmove Plc