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David321

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#318338 8-Jan-2025 09:41
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Hi all, my wife's parents have just arrived on a 6 month visitor visa. They are both a bit unwell and we took the mother to the Riccarton Clinic to see a doctor a few days ago (we live in Christchurch), the cost was $300 and their travel insurance will not reimburse them until they are back home, which is in about 5.5 months.

Now the father is still unwell and getting a bit worse and we need him to see a doctor also, my question is is $300 the going rate for a non resident to see a doctor in NZ? It seems very excessive for 15 mins of a doctors time and perhaps there are better options than the riccarton clinic?

The mother was prescribed some medication and told to return if she does not improve, and it looks like she may need to return after all, meaning another $300 fee, and if we have the same with her father it will be another two $300 fees.




_David_

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Behodar
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  #3329005 8-Jan-2025 09:44
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According to my local doctor's website it's $130, so it does seem that it can vary.




rscole86
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  #3329009 8-Jan-2025 09:58
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$230 for my GP to see 'overseas visitors'.

darkasdes2
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  #3329010 8-Jan-2025 09:59
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Link for the fees for the 24h Pegasus Health Clinic 

 

 

 

https://www.pegasus.health.nz/24-hour-surgery#info:~:text=24%20Hour%20Surgery%20fees

 

 




heavenlywild
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  #3329020 8-Jan-2025 10:30
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Yep, welcome to NZ!

 

My GP costs 72 bucks just for enrolled patients.

 

Hope your in-laws do get better. Do what you can and make sure they are comfortable. While I understand it is expensive, health is #1 and you can claim it back later. 





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boosacnoodle
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  #3329021 8-Jan-2025 10:34
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Riccarton Clinic is probably one of the most expensive places to visit in Christchurch, up there with the Pegasus 24 Hour Surgery and Moorhouse Medical. This is because they offer extended hours.

 

Visits are more expensive because they are not subsidised by the New Zealand taxpayer. You may find that the same is true of any medications also.


boosacnoodle
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  #3329022 8-Jan-2025 10:36
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darkasdes2:

 

Link for the fees for the 24h Pegasus Health Clinic 

 

 

 

https://www.pegasus.health.nz/24-hour-surgery#info:~:text=24%20Hour%20Surgery%20fees

 

 

 

 

Pegasus 24 hour would be $187 (for accidents) through to as much as $275 (if after midnight).


qwertee
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  #3329026 8-Jan-2025 10:51
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Used to be $145 at the Upper Riccarton Medical Centre.  318 Riccarton Rd

 

Not taking visitor appointments as they have no capacity


 
 
 
 

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Linux
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  #3329029 8-Jan-2025 10:59
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@David321 Visit a Doctor in the US and then you will have something to moan about and $300 seems fair

 

Do they have travel insurance?


cddt
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  #3329032 8-Jan-2025 11:03
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Considering supply and demand, I'm surprised the unsubsidised price isn't higher! 





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jamesrt
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  #3329033 8-Jan-2025 11:05
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Are you aware of Practice Pus; the virtual GP ?  Basically a GP appointment over Zoom.

 

Their pricing (https://practiceplus.nz/pricing/) is $150 for "international patients"

 

--

 

Practice Plus is a New Zealand registered company established by Tū Ora Compass Health and Pinnacle Health Network and we’re proud to support local medical centres within our PHO networks.

 

All Practice Plus Clinicians are experienced and licensed practitioners, registered with either Medical Council of New Zealand, or Nursing Council of New Zealand.

 

I have not used PracticePlus myself; but it is a genuine part of the NZ Health System - Tu Ora Compass Health is the PHO for the Wellington region (i.e. the organisation that funds all the GPs from the MoH funding they receive); the service uses regular GPs from various different practices in NZ.


Bung
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  #3329035 8-Jan-2025 11:09
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Is the Riccarton Clinic your usual GPs?

 

Our Wgtn GP at Courtenay Medical is ~$78 for enrolled adults, $125 for casual adults & $150 for overseas visitors of all ages.

 

We put up with the 2hr drive because waiting time for appointments is usually less than a week. You may have more trouble with ferry sailings 🤣


Zeon
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  #3329064 8-Jan-2025 12:53
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USA healthcare culture coming to New Zealand.... pretty sure I have paid <$100 last year for non-residents who were staying with me to go to the local GP. Also its worthwhile shopping around for medications that are prescribed from different pharmacies.

 

I got sick once on a flight to Australia and ended up in hospital there for 3 days. I remember in the emergency room a couple of international students drag in their unconscious friend 1 under each arm. The duty nurse asked if he had travel insurance which they didn't know - they ended up dragging him still unconscious back out.

 

Some other experiences:

 

  • I was hospitalised in China for 1 day - doctor consultation, blood tests, antibiotics and stay = $40 USD
  • I was hospitalised in Russia for 1 day - doctor consultation, blood tests, antibiotics and stay = $200 USD

People in NZ don't know how incredibly lucky we are to have healthcare like we do...





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eracode
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  #3329071 8-Jan-2025 13:08
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Linux:

 

@David321 Visit a Doctor in the US and then you will have something to moan about and $300 seems fair. 

 

 

Totally agree. Perhaps $300 is a bit steep but if they have appropriate travel insurance, I can’t see what the problem is.

 

@David321 You don’t say where are they visiting from. I’m not sure which other countries but there’s reciprocal medical rights between NZ and some countries - Aus and UK for a start. A friend of ours had to visit a GP while on holiday in England last year and it was totally free/covered.

 

Some years ago, Mrs Code badly broke her wrist after slipping on ice in Canada. She had 23 hours in hospital, an x-ray, a cast and simple pain relief medication and the hospital bill was over NZD12,000. No reciprocal rights there even though visiting Canadians are covered by ACC here. That really ground my gears.

 

(Final decision made by our travel insurer was that we should return to NZ for her to have surgery - metal plate and screws etc - back in Auckland. Travel insurance covered the short-notice flight home and all the Canadian medical bills.)





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cddt
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  #3329080 8-Jan-2025 14:02
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Linux:

 

@David321 Visit a Doctor in the US and then you will have something to moan about and $300 seems fair

 

 

We took a 9 month old to the emergency room in the USA after her fever went to 41°. Got on the phone and opened a case with the travel insurer while we were there. When it came time to be discharged I was ready to pay on my credit card, but this wasn't an option, they wanted our address and other details so they could send us the bill. Except their billing system could not handle non-US addresses, as it required a five-digit ZIP code. So they wrote our details on a piece of paper and took it away to work out how to bill us (amount unknown). We never heard from them. 

 

During this visit the nurse gave us a single dose of ibuprofen to take away, despite me clearly saying we didn't want it since we already had some (after I said we didn't need it she said "I'll just put it with your things here"). I suspect if we had received the invoice, it would have included a $100 line item for a single dose of ibuprofen, like one of those horror bills you see come out of the USA on social media. 





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ezbee
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  #3329083 8-Jan-2025 14:15
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Main issue is that we do not train enough Doctors and don't plan to.
The average age of Doctors in our system, like with other professions is getting very old.
So in the next X years it takes to train a Doctor its not going to get better.

 

Importing Doctors in not that easy in that that people have the pick of many nations.

 

Not the least we have Australia that is very actively seeking the best and also our own professionals.
We are planning cuts rather than a budget to competitively bid anyways.
Plus who wants to join a system in a crisis of funding?

 

Supply and Demand .  John Locke vindicated. 


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