Sector Services

Claims, Provider Payments & entitlements

High Use Health Card (HUHC)

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FAQs
Publications
Forms
Links

FAQs

What is a High Use Health Card (HUHC)?
The HUHC offers the same benefits of a Community Services Card, for General Practitioner (GP) visits and prescription charges.

The HUHC may entitle the card holder to reduced prescription fees from the pharmacy and/or cost reduction when visiting the General Practitioner.

If a card holder has a current Community Services Card or the GP is part of a Primary Health Organisation, the reduced cost that a HUHC entitles a patient to may already apply.

How do I qualify fior a HUHC?
To qualify for a HUHC you must have 12 paid General Practitioner visits within the immediate previous 12 month period for ongoing medical condition/s. Hospital and Specialist visits do not apply. Services fully or partially reimbursed under the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2001 (ACC) do not qualify.

Who can have a HUHC?
Anyone eligible for New Zealand Publicly Funded Health and Disability services, who meet the specified criteria, can apply for an HUHC.

Why do I have a HUHC and a CSC?
Both the CSC and HUHC’s are processed by two separate entities (Work and Income and your GP). Community Services Cards are income assessed by Work and Income. High Use Health Cards are assessed and applied for by your GP for high users of the health system for ongoing medical condition/s. You may be entitled to both cards.
Remember that one card may be providing the same service as the other, i.e. cost reductions for GP visits. If so, only the CSC or HUHC will be applicable at the time.

I visit the hospital quite regularly, as well as my specialist, can these visits count?
Only paid GP visits qualify towards a HUHC.

How do I apply?
Your GP makes the application on your behalf because they need to detail the times they have seen you and the reasons for each visit. You need to sign the application to confirm what the GP is detailing on the 12th visit.

I went to the doctor/chemist before I received my card, can I get my money back?
Reimbursement is available through Work and Income. You can call them on 0800 999 999 and ask for the standard reimbursement form. This form is also used for Community Services Card reimbursements. Please contact Work and Income for further information: www.workandincome.govt.nz

My card is about to, or has expired. What do I need to do?
You need to contact your GP. Applications must be submitted by a General Practitioner on behalf of the patient. Both the GP and the patient (or guardian) must sign the application form.

What do I do if I know that the Card Holder is deceased?

Contact Sector Services Wanganui, in writing, when a patient is deceased. This will stop any further correspondence going to the patient’s address. The contact details are:

HUHC
Sector Services
Private Bag 3015
Wanganui 4500

Where do we get the qualify date from?
The qualify date is the date following the last consultation date or previous card expiry date, whichever is the later of the two.

How long is the HUHC valid for?
The HUHC is valid for one year from the date of the 12th visit or one year following the previous expiry date. A card is not automatically sent out to the patient when an old card expires, a GP must re-apply once the criteria have been met.

Our clinic has received a letter detailing the HUHC applications that Sector Services has received - what does it mean if it says 'received'?
If a card is in the 'received' status this means that while the card application has been loaded into the system, and a card number and expiry date has been issued, it has not been approved yet. You should not give out the card details before the card has been approved - you can check on the card status by calling the Sector Services Contact Centre on 0800 243 666

I have lost my card/my card has a spelling mistake on it – what should I do?
The Sector Services Contact Centre can send out a corrected or replacement card – there will be a 5 – 10 business day delay.

What is the earliest an application can be sent in?
For New Applications – your GP may apply within six months of the last consultation date.

Where should I send the application forms?
Send all completed forms to:
HUHC applications
Sector Services
Private Bag 3015
Wanganui

How do I contact Sector Services?
For further information, please call the Sector Services Contact Centre on:
0800 243 666
Monday – Friday 8:00am – 5:00pm,
Except Wednesday when the Contact Centre’s hours are 9:30am – 5:00pm

I have run out of application forms, where can I get some more?
HUHC application forms are available free from Wickliffe Press on 0800 259 138 – you will need to have your payee number at hand.

Forms
HUHC application

Publications
Contact Centre News and Views
A quarterly newsletter sent out to providers, DHB's and Health professionals by the Contact Centre and includes articles, FAQ's, reminders and updates.

Sample HUHC

Links

Care plus
www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/phcs-funding-careplus
www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/phcs-projects-careplusservice

Community Service Cards
www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/phcs-funding-csc

High Use Health Cards
www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/phcs-funding-huhc

Pharmaceutical Co-Payments
www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/phcs-funding-pharmaceutical

Pharmaceutical Subsidy Cards
www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/phcs-funding-psc

SuperGold Cards
www.supergold.govt.nz

Work and Income
www.workandincome.govt.nz

Please note: you should not rely solely on the answers provided here; the contracts applicable to each provider and all relevant legislation must be consulted to determine the full rights & liabilities applicable to any service provider or fu

Page last updated: 22 October 2008