Health Care & Medication

Health Care & Medication

Most international students are not entitled to publicly funded health services while in New Zealand. If you receive medical treatment during your visit, you may be liable for the full costs of that treatment. Full details on entitlements to publicly funded health services are available through the Ministry of Health, and can beviewed on their website at www.health.govt.nz.

Visiting a doctor in New Zealand

If you are sick and it is not an emergency, you should visit a family doctor or General Practitioner (GP). In New Zealand, you can choose the doctor or medical centre that you visit.

Choosing your GP

In New Zealand, you can choose the doctor or medical centre that you visit.

  • For a list of GPs and their fees, check the website of your localdistrict health board (DHB) and/orprimary health organisation (PHO).
  • The New Zealand Medical Councilhas a register of practising GPs and advice on choosing a doctor.

What you will pay

Doctors’ practices and medical centres are privately owned and set their own fees.

The cost of a visit will be lower if you’re enrolled with the GP, because the government subsidises the fee.

Some general practices join a ‘low cost access’ programme run by their primary health organisation. This means they get extra government funding to keep their fees at low levels.

Accident Insurance

The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) provides accident insurance for all New Zealand citizens, residents and temporary visitors to New Zealand. However, it is important to note that you may still be liable for all other medical and related costs. Further information can be viewed on the ACC website at www.acc.co.nz.

ACC provide comprehensive, no-fault personal injury cover for all New Zealand residents and visitors to New Zealand. This means Tasman’s student can apply for their help, no matter how you got injured, or whose fault it was. ACC’s help can include a wide range of services – from payment towards treatment, to help around the home while you get better.

Injury cover for all New Zealanders and visitors

All New Zealanders and visitors to New Zealand who get injured can apply for help from ACC, whether or not:

  • you’re working, retired, a child, a student or on a benefit
  • you or someone else caused the accident that led to your injury
  • the injury happened at work, during sport or recreation, at home or on the road.

Details of injuries and conditions that we cover are set out in ACC’s governing legislation, the Accident Compensation (AC) Act 2001

Can I bring my medication with me?

If you are travelling to New Zealand and want to bring medicines with you, you can bring for your own personal use:
  • THREE months supply of a prescription medicine and/or
  • SIX months supply of an oral
It is advisable to keep your medicine in its original packaging so that pharmacy labels are clearly visible. It is a good idea to carry a letter from your doctor outlining that you are being treated with the medicine. All medicines should be declared to Customs upon arrival in New Zealand. Please be aware that medicines containing ingredients that are classified as Controlled Drugs in New Zealand are subject to further and more stringent regulations. If you have been lawfully prescribed a Controlled Drug for the treatment of a genuine medical condition and you wish to travel to New Zealand you should contact the New Zealand Customs Service to establish what it is you need to do to bring this medicine to New Zealand.

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