Cost of living: Kiwis forced to delay health appointments

New research found that 43 per cent of Kiwis admitted to putting off at least one medical expense because they couldn't afford it. Photo / 123RF

Rising living costs appear to be forcing many New Zealanders to delay health appointments, according to new research.

In a survey of more than 1500 Kiwis, global comparison site Finder found that 43 per cent of Kiwis admitted to putting off at least one medical expense because they couldn't afford it.

Oral health was the most common sacrifice, with over a third (34 per cent) of respondents delaying dentist appointments, while 15 per cent said they put off a visit to their doctor, and almost one in ten (9 per cent) had to delay a surgery or medical procedure.

Millennials were the most likely to avoid medical appointments (51 per cent), compared to 34 per cent of baby boomers, according to the survey.

Dr Jackie Cumming, professor of health policy and management at Victoria University of Wellington, said unfortunately this has been an issue for a long time.

"​This is a very concerning issue. Early access to primary care is incredibly important for keeping people well and out of hospital. But also, it is the entry point to much of the health system (e.g. for prescription medicines, diagnostic tests, referrals to hospital specialists)," she said.

"Keeping fees low and unmet need low is important too."

Finder's personal finance expert Kylie Purcell said for many Kiwis, seeing their dentist is at the bottom of their list of priorities.

"Kiwis are starting to feel the crunch of the rising cost of living, from their weekly grocery shop to escalating petrol prices," Purcell said.

"On top of that, rising interest rates are bringing up the cost of mortgage repayments for homeowners.

"For those on a tight budget, this extra cost can mean the difference between seeing the doctor and putting it off for another six months."

Annual inflation hit 6.9 per cent for the year to March 31 - the largest annual increase since the June 1990 quarter.

The two most significant contributors to the increase in the Consumer Price Index across the year were housing and household utilities and transport - up 8.6 per cent and 14 per cent respectively.

The largest driver of the increase in transport costs was a 32 per cent increase in petrol prices.

Food prices had also risen sharply in the March quarter, up 3.1 per cent, influenced in part by grocery food (up 2.4 per cent).

Dr Katie Ayers, New Zealand Dental Association's access to care spokeswoman, said the Government needed to take oral health more seriously.

"Where New Zealanders are unable to afford basic dental care, the Government should be assisting with the costs of this."

Ayers said studies relatively consistently show that up to 50 per cent of New Zealand adults postpone or avoid dental care because of the cost.

A ministry spokesperson said the Government has acknowledged that there is some unmet need for adult dental care.

"Government funding for oral health focuses largely on universal services for children and adolescents," a spokesperson said.

"This gives children a good start to life and reduces the risk of requiring costly dental care later in life."

Over a third of survey respondents said they delayed visiting their dentist because they couldn't afford it. Photo / 123RF

The Government made good on its 2020 election pledge to increase emergency dental grants from $300 to $1000, paying for people who need emergency dental care.

But Ayers said the emergency dental grant "remains an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff".

"When I graduated as a dentist over 25 years ago the emergency dental grant was $300. It has taken until this year, following several years of lobbying by the NZDA and others, for any increase in that grant to occur," she said.

"There is a lot of dental work to catch up on for people who have been unable to access care, in some cases for decades.

"Many of these New Zealanders will need treatment valued at more than $1000 to fix all of their dental problems, even at a basic level of care."

Cumming added: "​There's a need for an adult dental care scheme in New Zealand that will allow adults access to cheaper dental care. Emergency dental care is funded by the government through DHBs and that is where the increase in funding went. But we need funding for primary dental care."

Of the emergency grant announced in the Budget, the spokesperson for the ministry said: "The requirement that the dental care must be an emergency will be removed. This will result in a significant increase in the accessibility of adult dental care for our most vulnerable people. District health boards will also continue to provide emergency dental care for low-income adults."

The Ministry of Health said New Zealanders have access to a wide range of free or subsidised publicly funded healthcare services.

"In public hospitals, inpatient and outpatient treatments, X-rays and laboratory tests are free for New Zealanders and other eligible groups.

"Primary care services, such as general practice visits, are subsidised for eligible people enrolled with a general practice. This subsidy supports general practices to keep their fees as affordable as possible.

"General practice fees are often further reduced for high health service users or Community Service Card holders. Most practices offer free visits for children under 14 years and there are other subsidies which may be available."

Purcell urged Kiwis to avoid going into medical debt unless it's the only option.

"Try to use what's in your savings before going into debt for a medical expense. If you need to, look for interest-free credit cards to minimise what you have to pay back."