The Ministry of Health deadline for signing up for the programme is today.
Hastings Health Centre chief executive Hayley Anderson expected the initiative to have a positive impact on the community.
"The whole idea of the scheme is to remove any financial barrier to accessing healthcare, which is a really good thing," she said.
Ms Anderson said her centre anticipated the scheme would make a particular difference with after hours care.
"Often families won't go to after hour care because of the additional cost and, at the same time, it can be difficult for them to get to the doctor during the day, so this should make seeing a doctor easier for some of our families."
Ms Anderson was not concerned about the services being overused.
"Most families are too busy focusing on other aspects of family life to spend a lot of time going back and forth to the doctor.
"How the service will actually be utilised will be a case of 'wait and see'."
The programme is expected to benefit about 400,000 children nationwide. It will also include a contribution from ACC which will mean about 213,000 children will receive free injury-related doctors' visits, according to ACC minister Nikki Kaye.
Doctors' visits are currently free for children under 6 at about 98 per cent of New Zealand practices.
The uptake was not immediate when the under-6 policy was introduced, Dr Coleman said.
"Initial uptake was 70 per cent in January 2008, and it has steadily increased to current levels," he said.
"There are only around 12 general practices in New Zealand that are not offering free under-6s doctors visits."
The Government expected the uptake to be similar for the under-13s scheme, he said.
A 2013 Child Poverty Action Group survey found the average cost for a child aged 6 to 17 to visit a GP during office hours was $24.
After hours, the average fee was $44, and ranged from zero to $89.
