KEY POINTS:
All doctors' visits for children aged under six should become free under Government plans released today.
It also boosted funding to encourage more GPs sign up to a scheme where they agree to lower fees across the board.
As part of its post-election deal with New Zealand First Health, Minister Pete Hodgson announced $8.25 million would be spent from January 1 to get under sixes free visits.
Mr Hodgson said most GPs - 61 per cent - already charged no fees for under sixes and the additional funding was aimed at getting remaining practices to do the same.
Fees for those practices were already low, with a national average of $5.
"We don't want any parent to think twice about taking their young child to the doctor because of how much it costs," Mr Hodgson said.
The Government introduced a subsidy in 1997 aimed at making the visits free and that stands at $39.70. Today's increase means GPs will get $45.70 per appointment.
Mr Hodgson said practices have the right to set their own fees but it was hoped the new money would see most offer the free visits. Recently the Government announced children would get free checks before they started school.
Also today Mr Hodgson announced an increase of $5.91 million in funding to get more practices to sign up to the "Very Low Cost Fees" scheme.
The $24.6m scheme is aimed at reducing fees to a maximum of $15.50 and about 1 million New Zealanders have benefited so far.
"Our seven year, $2.2 billion investment in primary health care has cut the average cost of seeing the doctor in half and has cut standard prescription charges from $15 to $3," he said.
"Since last year, we've built on these efforts to lower the cost of seeing the doctor for all New Zealanders by providing additional support to practices that charge very low fees.
"These practices often serve high-need communities where low fees are crucial for ensuring access."
Since October 2006, PHO practices that agreed to maintain very low fees received additional funding. From July 1 this year that top-up was increased from 15 per cent to 17.5 per cent and from October 1 this year it will rise to 20 per cent.
The Very Low Cost Access Initiative involves 23 per cent of PHO practices and benefits over 900,000 people, many of whom have high needs.
Standard consultation fees charged by very low cost access practices would remain at $15.50 for adults 18 years and over, $10.50 for children six-17 years and remain zero for children under six.
- NZPA
