Foreign patients owe DHB over $20k

Ministry of Health spokesman John Hazeldine said district health boards were responsible for recovering debts from non-eligible patients. Photo / File

Foreign patients receiving medical treatment in Wanganui owe more than $20,000.

According to figures released to the Wanganui Chronicle under the Official Information Act, 76 foreign patients owed a total of $20,670 in unpaid medical bills at the end of last year.

In 2013, 48 debtors owed $40,745 and in 2012, 20 debtors owed $46,958.

A Whanganui District Health Board spokeswoman said officials were "proactive in chasing any and all outstanding debt".

"If a non-resident doesn't pay, we follow up by phone calls and emails," she said. "Most of the problem ones are those that are living in New Zealand without insurance, so they go to debt collection if required."

If any bill remains unpaid with no chance of recovery it would be written off, she said.

Nationally, district health boards write off millions of dollars each year from treating foreign patients. Patients from some countries were covered under their visa status. Patients from Australia, the United Kingdom Australia, Tokelau, Niue and the Cook Islands have reciprocal agreements to cover the treatment. Foreign patients injured by accidents may also be covered by ACC.

Ministry of Health spokesman John Hazeldine said district health boards were responsible for recovering debts from non-eligible patients. "The ministry recognises that this is not always possible and compensates DHBs with a higher level of debt write-off through its funding," Mr Hazeldine said.

Health boards can also contract debt collection agencies to chase up medical bills and advise Immigration New Zealand of a patient's debt.