Hospitals picking up bill for foreign mothers

3.30pm


Hospitals cannot refuse to treat foreign mothers, despite the fact they may end up carrying the bill for their maternity care.

Since the Government closed a loophole allowing hundreds of foreign women to enter New Zealand for free childbirth, foreign women have been required to pay.

However, some women who have given birth since the September rule-change have not done so, leaving hospitals to foot their bill.

Christchurch Women's Hospital general manager Pauline Burt said the hospital had no mechanism to make the women pay.

It is owed more than $24,000 in outstanding bills for maternity care provided since September, and a further $37,555 for older, unpaid debts on maternity and gynaecology services.

Health Ministry child and family health manager Sarah Turner said hospitals must continue to accept the women.

Hospitals were used to dealing with healthcare for people who were ineligible, and should have processes in place to bill them for the treatment, she said.

"It is up to the hospital how actively they pursue the debt."

The ministry did not help to recoup any outstanding maternity debts that district health boards had trouble collecting.

That left hospitals out of pocket.

"Unless (the women) pay, there's no funding," Mrs Burt said.

Concern is mounting over the problem, particularly as the number of foreign mothers giving birth in Christchurch has increased over the last three years.

Mrs Burt said most of them were coming not for free healthcare but New Zealand citizenship for their child.

"The Government hasn't changed the outcome in that a baby born here can still get New Zealand citizenship and a passport.

"The Ministry of Health are aware of District Health Board concerns (about recouping money) and really the bigger issue on whether we want pregnant women travelling to New Zealand to have their babies."

The eligibility issue arose after changes were made in mid-1999 giving non-resident women access to free maternity care in New Zealand.

Since then, the number of non-residents giving birth in New Zealand increased from 974 in 1999-2000 to 1657 in 2002-03.

- NZPA