Whanganui District Health Board loses $35 million each year to other health boards says corporate manager Brian Walden.
At this month's health board meeting, Mr Walden said Whanganui was charged by other DHBs when Whanganui residents received treatment from them.
"There's about a $35 million flow into other district health boards - as our patients go out to other care, the money follows them."
"So when the patients go down to Capital Coast or to Starship Hospital we are funding those places, and often those costs are quite considerable."
He said the costs are not balanced by payments from outside DHBs for patients coming in to Whanganui from other areas.