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Healthcare in New Zealand is not free to the patient but it is subsidised by the Ministry of Health (for medical consultations during normal hours) and by ACC (for injuries caused by accidents - at any time). The remaining fee, the co-payment, is charged to the patient. Co-payments vary between medical centres and depend on the time of day or week and type of service a patient receives.
There is no Urgent Care co-payment payable for enrolled patients aged thirteen years old and younger at any of our opening times at Riccarton Clinic. Casual patients aged thirteen years old and younger using the Urgent Care service will need to pay a co-payment before 6pm during the week (they would be free at their own medical practice).
The fee paid by those fourteen or over will depend on:
- whether the consultation is medical or accident (ACC discount your fee for an accident)
- whether the patient has a Community Services Card or not
- the time of day you attend (higher fees apply after 6pm during the week)
- the day of the week you attend (higher fees apply at weekends and on public holidays)
- whether you are enrolled, a casual patient or a non-resident patient (enrolled is the lowest fee in all cases)
As you might expect, providing medical services after-hours costs more than during normal hours, especially for unplanned/urgent care. However, the Ministry of Health have committed to subsidising urgent care visits for children under the age of thirteen to the extent that all urgent care visits, even after hours, are free.
We take payment from casual and non-resident patients on arrival, unless it is an emergency situation.
Our fees change from time to time. The majority of fees are displayed on boards either side of our entrance doors but please enquire at Reception if you wish to confirm a fee before you accept our services.
Extra fees will apply for an extended consultation, certain procedures, tests, injections and medical supplies. Some discounts apply for holders of Community Services Cards.
If you visit us as a casual patient and have not used us previously, we will need to see proof of eligibility for publicly funded health and disability services in New Zealand. Please bring along your passport with visa or other valid documentation. If you are not able to provide proof of your eligibility when you visit us, we will need to charge a non-resident fee. This will be reduced to a casual fee once you have provided the proof required.
