NZ Ministry of Health Web Page
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Eligibility for Publicly Funded Health and Disability Services
Medicines from the Pharmacy
Some medicines are available without prescription, from a pharmacy. Other medicines cannot be supplied by the pharmacist without a prescription from a doctor. Your pharmacist will advise if the medicine requires a doctor’s prescription.
Prescription drugs or medicines are subsidised for people eligible for publicly funded health and disability services. They are generally free for children under six years old, but everyone else who is eligible for publicly funded health and disability services pays a co-payment. The cost depends on the particular medicine.
The Pharmaceutical Schedule lists around 2600 prescription medicines and related products subsidised by the Government.
For people eligible for publicly funded health and disability services, prescription costs are $15 or less for fully subsidised medicines. People enrolled with a Primary Health Organisation (PHO) will pay $3 or less if the medicine is prescribed by the doctor through whom they enrolled with the PHO. Partly subsidised medicines will have additional part charges.
View the Pharmaceutical Schedule on the Pharmaceutical Management Agency (PHARMAC) website
.
View more information on prescription fees in the Your Choices...Your Health section
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Page last updated: 3 February 2009