Parents Place New Zealand First Policy Initiative On Top Of List
New Zealand First Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters has demanded that the Minister of Health Annette King clear up the
existing confusion surrounding the cost of Doctors visits for children under six and adjust the subsidies paid to
Doctors.
This is in light of a recent Plunket study revealing that parents ranked free Doctors visits for under six year olds on
top of their list when choosing which policy measures are most beneficial to them.
“It is crazy to still hear of parent’s confusion and frustration over the cost of taking their children to the doctor
including the cost of prescription medicine, and leaving it up to Doctors to decide whether to make up the shortfall in
Government funding or pass it on to their patients,” said Mr Peters.
“New Zealand First’s policy initiative of free Doctors visits for children under six introduced in 1997 was designed to
keep a pace with rising costs and inflation but this Government has failed to make the appropriate subsidy adjustments
and therefore dishonoured the requirement to provide free Doctors visits for children under six.
“It is obvious that Mrs King is more committed to “bro-ocracy” than honouring a simple and effective policy initiative
of providing free Doctor’s visits for children under six.
“Latest figures reveal one District Health Board spent over $28 million in one financial year specifically on Maori
health.
“It is obvious where this Government’s priorities lie and they are simply failing to take leadership on this very
important issue and ensure that Doctor’s receive an adequate subsidy to enable them to provide free health care for
children under six,” concluded Mr Peters.
ENDS