KEY POINTS:
Nearly three quarters of New Zealand adults (73 per cent) would not be able to afford elective surgery costing $5000 or more, according to research from the Southern Cross Medical Care Society.
And more than half (57 per cent) of New Zealanders would be forced to rely on loans from financial institutions.
A further 16 per cent would have to borrow the money from family or friends.
Southern Cross Healthcare Group chief executive Ian McPherson said today the survey highlighted the need for more New Zealanders to take greater personal responsibility for their healthcare needs.
"While 24 per cent could rely on health insurance and a further 28 per cent on savings, many of these would only be able to partially fund the surgery and would still rely on some level of borrowing," Dr McPherson said.
Nearly one in four New Zealanders (23 per cent) simply could not fund it at all and would have to rely solely on the public system.
"If more New Zealanders took personal responsibility for their healthcare needs, they wouldn't be faced with having to borrow large sums of money or waiting months for important surgery as many do today."
Dr McPherson said medical inflation would continue to climb.
"Currently, over $12 billion is spent by the Government to fund public health services and more is always needed."
- NZPA
