Eligibility for Publicly Funded Health and Disability Services

Reciprocal Health Agreements

New Zealand has reciprocal health agreements with Australia and the United Kingdom (UK). Under each, the eligible person may receive publicly funded services for conditions that meet the terms of the agreement.

People covered by the agreement can only receive the same publicly funded services as a citizen of the country they are visiting, and only if these services are covered by the agreement.

There are a range of services that are not publicly funded, and these differ between countries. The New Zealand Government recommends that travellers hold comprehensive travel insurance, including health insurance.

The two reciprocal health agreements differ from each other, and a summary of the differences follows:

• Australians visiting New Zealand
• UK citizens staying temporarily in New Zealand
• New Zealanders travelling to the UK or Australia

Links to copies of the actual reciprocal agreements are provided below:

• Australia and New Zealand - Health Benefits (Reciprocity with Australia) Act 1999, No 18 (www.legislation.govt.nz).
• United Kingdom and New Zealand - Health Benefits (Reciprocity with the United Kingdom) Act 1982 No 176 (as at 03 September 2007) (www.legislation.govt.nz) - Note: Click on "schedule" which brings up the: "Agreement on Health Services Between The Government of New Zealand And The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland".

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Australians visiting New Zealand

A citizen or permanent resident of Australia, including the territories of Coco (Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island, is covered by the New Zealand/Australia Reciprocal Health Agreement if they:

• are on a temporary visit (up to two years long) to New Zealand AND
• in the opinion of the provider of medical treatment,
  
  - need immediately necessary medical treatment while in New Zealand.

They:

• will get the same treatment as a New Zealand resident gets
  
  - IF that treatment is clinically necessary for the diagnosis, alleviation or care of the condition requiring attention
  
  - including pharmaceutical benefits, hospital services, and maternity services.

They:

• may not enrol with a Primary Health Organisation (PHO)
• are not entitled to free or subsidised care by a primary health provider (general practitioner), except for pharmaceutical benefits
• may register with a GP, and should be allocated a NHI number if they do not already have one.

An Australian citizen or permanent resident who has been in New Zealand for a period of two years or more, or can demonstrate reasonable intention to remain in New Zealand for two years or more, is eligible for all publicly funded services, and can enrol with a PHO and get the same health subsidies as a New Zealand citizen.

UK citizens staying temporarily in New Zealand

A United Kingdom (UK) citizen (passport holder) is eligible for treatment (medical, hospital and related) on the same basis as a New Zealand citizen if they:

• are ordinarily resident in the UK (including England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Island of Jersey and the Balliwick of Guernsey, comprising the islands of Guernsey, Alderney, Herm, Jethou and Sark) AND
• are on a temporary stay in New Zealand (a temporary stay would be any stay that was not permanent, and to become permanent they would need to have a residence permit or NZ citizenship) AND
• require medical treatment which,
  
  - in the opinion of a medical practitioner (or dentist for people under 19 years)
  
  - needs prompt attention
  
  - for a condition that arose after arrival into New Zealand, OR became, or without treatment would have become, acutely exacerbated after arrival.

The UK Reciprocal Health Agreement does not cover UK permanent residents.

A UK citizen must have been resident in the UK immediately prior to coming to New Zealand (that is, not have a residence permit for any other country for the period immediately prior).

When receiving services under the reciprocal agreement, a person may not enrol with a Primary Health Organisation (PHO). They should get the same health subsidies as a New Zealand citizen visiting a general practitioner, if the medical practitioner has decided the condition needs prompt attention. They may register with a GP, and should be allocated a NHI number if they do not already have one.

UK citizens may also be eligible for other publicly funded services, under other criteria. For example, if they have a work permit that, together with any other previous permit, allows them to be continuously in New Zealand for two years or more, or if they require maternity-related services and have a partner who is eligible.

What is meant by “acutely exacerbated” in the UK agreement?

A good working definition would be:

• A pre-existing condition that:
  
  
  • was stable when the person commenced travel AND
  • was not expected to deteriorate during the time of the stay in New Zealand AND
  • deteriorated and required treatment in New Zealand before the person was able to travel again.

New Zealanders travelling to the UK or Australia

If you swap the words “UK” or “Australian” for “New Zealand”, and the words “New Zealand” for “UK” or “Australian” in the relevant summaries above, you will see what the agreements say about New Zealand citizens’ and permanent residents’ entitlements in those countries.

For more information about the actual publicly funded services that you would be eligible for and how much they might cost, you will need to contact the consulates for those countries. There are significant differences. For example, ambulance services in Australia may not be publicly funded, and can be very expensive.

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Page last updated: 19 December 2008