December 3, 2015
MEDIA RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE USE
Affordable Healthcare Bill defeat disappoints – HFANZ
Health insurers have expressed their regret that the New Zealand First-sponsored Affordable Healthcare Bill failed to
get past its first reading in the House yesterday.
The member’s bill proposed a 25 percent health insurance rebate for people aged over 65, the removal of fringe benefit
tax from health insurance to stop penalising employers who provide it for their staff, and a requirement that parent
category migrants have health insurance on arrival and maintain it in New Zealand for 10 years.
Health Funds Association (HFANZ) chief executive Roger Styles said it was disappointing that the Bill had not gained the
support of Parliament, as it would have been a big step in helping to shore up future health funding sources and to
address New Zealand’s dangerous over-reliance on taxpayer funding.
However, he believed the Bill’s defeat actually signalled the start of debate on future health funding rather than the
end of it.
“This is the first time in over two decades we have seen Parliament debate the issue of future health funding and
measures to help broaden the dependence on taxpayer funding. The debate can only intensify as the issue is not going
away.”
Mr Styles said that while the Bill contained specific initiatives, there were potentially many measures which could help
with future health financing, and HFANZ would be looking to work with all parties to help identify practical solutions.
ENDS