Eligibility for Publicly Funded Health and Disability Services

Pregnancy Services

HIV infected pregnant women

Regardless of whether she meets the eligibility criteria specified in the 2003 Eligibility Direction, a pregnant woman infected with HIV has free access to:

a hospital based lead maternity carer
blood tests to determine HIV viral load in the pregnant woman
a funded course of antiretroviral drug(s), noting that there is no entitlement to ongoing antiretroviral treatment for the mother
information around safe alternatives to breastfeeding
a Caesarean section for those instances where specialist medical opinion considers that a caesarean section is required for delivery to effectively limit the HIV transmission risk to the child
post caesarean section hospitalisation (approximately one week)
postnatal hospital visits for the child for the purpose of disease exclusion, that is, to determine the HIV status of the child.

Maternity care

Most maternity care is free for women who are New Zealand citizens, have permanent residency for two or more years, or who are eligible through other criteria under the Eligibility Direction. You may be charged for antenatal or childbirth education classes, and some tests at a private laboratory. You may also have to pay to have an ultrasound scan. Private obstetricians and private maternity hospitals will also charge a fee.

Primary maternity services

Primary maternity services are outlined in the Maternity Notice issued under section 88 of the Public Health and Disability Services Act 2000.

View the Section 88 Primary Maternity Services Notice 2007.

Other maternity services

In addition to primary maternity services, other maternity services are delivered in the community and in hospital.

Any publicly funded maternity services that are provided to New Zealand citizens can be provided to other eligible people, and to pregnant partners of eligible people. See Maternity-related services below for further explanation.

Eligibility

To find out if a woman is eligible for publicly funded maternity services, use the Guide to Eligibility.

In summary, publicly funded maternity services are available to a woman if:

she is eligible for publicly funded health and disability services in her own right OR
her husband or partner is a:
- New Zealand citizen OR
- New Zealand permanent resident with a Returning Resident’s Visa or who has been in New Zealand for two years before requiring the service OR
- Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident who has been living, or who intends to live, in New Zealand for two years or longer (and can prove it) OR
- Work Permit holder whose permit is for two years or more, or who has a current work permit which, together with previous permits, allows them to be continuously in New Zealand for two years or more (previous permits are not required to be work permits and the permits must be consecutive) OR
- children aged 18 or under who are in the care and control of a parent or guardian (or a person in the process of legally adopting them) and that person is:
  
  - a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident, OR
  
  - an Australian citizen or permanent resident who has been living, or who intends to live, in New Zealand for two years or longer, OR
  
  - a Work Permit holders whose permit is for two years or more, or who has a current work permit which, together with previous permits, allows them to be continuously in New Zealand for two years or more, OR
  
  - a student or visitor who has had consecutive Permits to re-enter or remain in New Zealand since before 30 October 2003
- participants in the Ministry of Education’s Foreign Language Teaching Assistantship scheme, OR
- NZAID Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) scholarship holders, or their partner, or their dependent child aged18 years or under, who also meet any conditions imposed under the ODA scheme, OR
- a Commonwealth scholarship holder OR
- a student or visitor who has had consecutive Permits to re-enter or remain in New Zealand since before 30 October 2003.

The basis of this funding is to provide the child of an eligible person, regardless of whether the eligible parent is male or female, with ante-natal, birthing and post-natal care, so that the baby will be as healthy as possible.

Cover under a Reciprocal Health Agreements with UK and Australia

People who are either:

citizens of the United Kingdom who are ordinarily resident there but temporarily staying in New Zealand, OR
citizens or permanent residents of Australia who are visiting New Zealand

are eligible for immediate and necessary maternity care, including labour and birth, but not routine pregnancy care or post-natal care unless they meet other eligibility criteria.

See Reciprocal Health Agreements for further information.

Lead Maternity Carer

The Lead Maternity Carer is responsible for organising a woman's maternity care. They may provide all the woman's care or share the care with one, or more, other practitioners. They also provide information to assist with decision-making during pregnancy, preparation of the birth and for parenting. Information will include a wide range of matters such as nutrition, exercise, the risks of smoking and alcohol, labour and the birth process, pain relief, breastfeeding, baby care, immunisation, community services, contraception and many other matters.

For more information about maternity services and choosing a Lead Maternity Carer, call toll free on 0800 MUM 2 BE (0800 686 223). The phone line does not offer counselling, clinical or medical advice.

Maternity-related services

Services available to pregnant partners of eligible people

Any publicly funded maternity services that are provided to New Zealand citizens can be provided to other eligible people.

Services available to women who are not eligible in their own right, but who can prove partnership with an eligible person include the services described under Maternity care above and other services related to pregnancy.

The definition of maternity-related servces is:

all the services specified in the Maternity Notice delivered in accordance with the provisions of section 88 of the Public Health and Disability Services Act 2000 (see information above on Primary maternity services), AND
any other treatment for a condition determined by a clinician that would adversely impact on the survival of the mother or the baby. Examples are:
- ectopic pregnancy
- miscarriage services
- termination of pregnancy for foetal abnormality
- pre-eclamptic toxaemia, and
- eclampsia.

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Page last updated: 4 March 2009