"For a lot of people that's fine, but for many people there are a lot of barriers to access to primary health care."
New Zealanders on lower incomes, particularly those with large families or complex medical problems, would find the hike in prescription costs as another barrier.
"We know from the Ministry of Social Development's own data on severe and significant hardship that many families don't pick up prescriptions because of costs. If they've got a small amount of money left over, then prescriptions will go or they'll delay picking them up," she said.
She had seen this happen at her own Wellington practice.
Labour health spokeswoman Maryan Street said the increase will place more financial stress on those who can least afford it.
In the past year about 267,000 adults said they did not get a prescription filled because of the $3 charge, she said.
"That in turn means some health problems are going untreated, resulting in higher costs to everybody down the track and undoubtedly a factor in the extra 4000 children admitted to hospital this year compared to last."
In announcing the Budget increase, Health Minister Tony Ryall said the $5 cost would be applied to the first 20 items of medicine per family each year.
He defended the hike in prescription charges - which would amount to a $20 million saving in the first year and $40 million in subsequent years - saying the money would be invested back into the health sector.
The Community Pharmacy in Linwood, Christchurch, is avoiding the price hike by chipping in with its own subsidy, Newstalk ZB reported.
Owner Anne Tiller and her husband Joe felt the price increase was going to make times even harder for many New Zealanders.