Eligibility for Publicly Funded Health and Disability Services

New Zealanders Travelling Overseas

The New Zealand Government has reciprocal health agreements with Australia and the United Kingdom. It does not have any agreements with other countries.

New Zealand citizens are not covered by the New Zealand health system while travelling overseas.

However limited personal injury coverage is available to New Zealand residents who suffer personal injury through an accident while overseas. Contact the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) on 0800 101 996 if you have questions concerning accident-related treatment.

Comprehensive medical/travel insurance is strongly recommended for anyone travelling overseas.

Check with the relevant embassy if you want to know whether you are entitled to publicly funded health and disability services in the country you are travelling to.

If you are unsure whether you are covered or not, assume you are not and take out comprehensive travel/medical insurance.

If you can't afford travel insurance you can't afford to travel.

New Zealanders travelling to Australia
The Reciprocal Health Agreement with Australia means that New Zealand residents who visit Australia on a temporary basis can receive urgent medical treatment from the Australian publicly funded health system. This covers both illness and injuries.

What is covered under the Reciprocal Health Agreement
Medical treatment relates to public health services, maternity services and pharmaceutical benefits. Generally, any urgent public hospital admission or referral to a public hospital specialist is covered by the Reciprocal Health Agreement.

New Zealanders receive the same treatment as Australian residents do. This means if a health and disability service is free for an Australian, the New Zealander should not have to pay. Similarly, if an Australian is expected to pay a part charge, the New Zealander would also expect to be charged.

In-patient hospital treatment, and any associated x-rays or other diagnostic tests, laboratory tests and medicines required urgently should be provided free of charge. Visits to hospital specialists as part of an acute health episode are also generally free, but there may be charges for some outpatient visits. Medicines that are prescribed for immediate necessary treatment are also subsidised, although there may be part charges, as there are in New Zealand.

People requiring dialysis treatment during their stay are covered. Arrangements need to be made well in advance, usually by the New Zealand specialist liaising with his or her counterpart at the relevant hospital in Australia.

Only urgent treatment is covered. Rehabilitation, ongoing specialist visits and non-urgent surgery are not covered.

For more information visit the Medicare Australia website.

If you have an existing condition
The Reciprocal Health Agreement does not differentiate between existing medical conditions and new medical conditions. However, the need for treatment must arise during the visit and the illness or injury must need treatment before you return home.

For example, routine check ups for pregnancy, asthma or diabetes are not covered, but any illness or condition needing hospital admission, urgent referral to a hospital specialist or an immediate necessary prescription is covered.

Admission to hospital
If you are admitted to hospital tell hospital staff that you want to be treated as a Medicare public patient under the Reciprocal Health Agreement. You are likely to be asked to show your passport to verify that you are a New Zealand resident.

Taking prescribed medicines
You can take a reasonable supply (the amount you are likely to need as your usual dose) into Australia. A letter from the prescribing GP confirming the details of the medication is recommended and it may need to be shown to customs officials.

Many medicines are subject to import controls and you will need to get formal approval in advance from Australia giving you permission to bring the restricted medicines into the country.

The Australian health department website provides more information about the list of drugs needing special permission and how you go about getting approval.

What is not covered by the Reciprocal Health Agreement
The following services are not covered under the Reciprocal Health Agreement and you will be expected to pay the full costs:

GP visits and any related diagnostic tests
ambulance services
medical evacuation back to New Zealand (where you need a medical escort to travel)
travel for family members to help a relative who has had an accident or medical emergency
treatment in private hospitals or as a private patient in a public hospital
elective services
treatment that is not immediately necessary
immunisations
dental care
funerals.

Medical insurance is recommended to cover the areas that are not included in the Reciprocal Agreement. Contact your travel agent for more information about travel insurance.

New Zealanders travelling to the United Kingdom
The Reciprocal Health Agreement with the United Kingdom means that New Zealand residents who visit the United Kingdom on a temporary basis can receive urgent medical treatment from the United Kingdom's publicly funded health system. This covers both illness and injuries.

What is covered under the Reciprocal Health Agreement
Urgent GP visits, emergency department visits in-patient hospital treatment, and any associated x-rays or other diagnostic tests, laboratory tests and medicines should be provided free of charge. Visits to hospital specialists are also generally free, but there may be charges for some outpatient visits. Urgent dental treatment is also covered. Medicines that are prescribed for immediate necessary treatment are subsidised, although there may be part charges, as there are in New Zealand.

Only treatment required urgently is covered. Rehabilitation, ongoing specialist visits, non-urgent surgery and routine check-ups are not covered.

Treatment is provided on the same terms as for UK nationals. This means if a service is free for a UK national, the New Zealander does not have to pay. Similarly, if the UK national is expected to pay a part charge, the New Zealander would also expect to be charged.

If you have an existing condition
The Reciprocal Agreement also covers existing medical conditions, which have either become suddenly serious, or would do so if some treatment or medicine were not provided. However, the need for treatment must arise during the visit and the illness or injury must need treatment before the traveller returns home.

For example, a person with asthma that is normally under control but who has an acute attack requiring hospitalisation would be covered. Routine check-ups are not covered.

Hospital admissions
If you are admitted to hospital tell hospital staff that you want to be treated as a public patient under the Reciprocal Health Agreement. You are likely to be asked to show your passport to verify that you are a New Zealand resident.

Pregnancy and giving birth
Premature delivery is covered under the Reciprocal Agreement. Full-term childbirth services are also generally provided free of charge. However, routine antenatal checks and some postnatal services are not covered.

Taking prescribed medicines
You can take a reasonable supply (the amount you are likely to need as your usual dose) into the United Kingdom. A letter from the prescribing GP confirming the details of the medication is recommended and it may need to be shown to customs officials.

Some medicines might be subject to import controls.

Contact your local British High Commission for more information.

What is not covered by the Reciprocal Agreement
The following services are not covered under the Reciprocal Agreement and you will be expected to pay the full costs:

medical evacuation back to New Zealand (where you need a medical escort to travel)
travel for family members to assist a relative who has had an accident or medical emergency
treatment in private hospitals
elective services
treatment that is not immediately necessary
immunisations
funerals.

Medical insurance is recommended to cover the areas that are not covered by the Reciprocal Agreement. Contact your travel agent for more information about travel insurance.

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Page last updated: July 2007