[kendravixie]

Coming in mid May, will be settling in the Wellington region.

My question, as a "Work Holiday Scheme" worker and the "subsidized" health care system, will I still need insurance? Some sites state that I will not be eligible for "public" health care? Are some items subsidized and some items not? How does being a migrant affect this?

Also, planning to be there for 12 months, do I need to see a panel doctor (coming from the states)?

:wah NZIS is very confusing. :wah

[Junnifer USA]

Unless the rules have changes since we did our medicals 2 years ago...all US doctors qualify...actually my dad did his medical 9 months ago and that was still the rule. Most other countries have to do the 'panel doctor' thing. Just go to your regular doc.

Jen

[Oregonkiwi]

You are only eligible for public health services if your work visa is for 2 years or more:
http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/f872666357c511eb4c25666d000c8888/f9e50c19fc1ef1f5cc256dba00151fe0?OpenDocument

people from the Uk are covered under reciprocal health agreements, but if you are American, you will need insurance. Otherwise if you end up hospitalized for illness, you will have to pay the FULL cost of your care.
But you would be eligible for accident coverage under the Accident Compensation scheme:
http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/238fd5fb4fd051844c256669006aed57/ff721969087bbe97cc256dba0013a5cb?OpenDocument

Also see:
http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=7420
http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=7421

[jess]

I'm more bringing up a question than offering advice, but wanted to be sure you'd thought of this...

Since you plan to be in NZ a year and then return to the US, you might want to consider (if you haven't already) the option of keeping your US health insurance coverage while you're here even if they won't pay dr. costs while you're overseas... because otherwise, if you drop your US coverage and are then diagnosed with any serious illness while you're here, it would be considered pre-existing when you return to the states, and you'd have trouble getting any coverage to pay for your health care costs in the states. Someone please correct me if I'm off base here. I was thinking about that for us when we moved to NZ -- Since we no longer have US health insurance, if one of us is diagnosed with anything serious while we're here, moving back to the US might not be an option, since we'd be unable to get reasonable health insurance. For financial reasons, we'd have to stay in NZ where we were covered by national healthcare. (Mind you, we love NZ - have no current thoughts of leaving.)

[wanderingoregonian]

Good point Jess... I was actually denied health insurance just before my move to NZ when I applied for a few months of individual coverage. I guess they can deny you for any prexisting condition, even ones I didn't think were severe. Mine are pretty minor, never thought in million years they'd be grounds for insurance denials for a healthy, under 30 non smoking person.

Turns out I coudl get a portability plan continuing my last plan so I'm maintaining that for now in case we have to return. grrrrr. the american health insurance system has a lot of cracks and I was about to fall through it - so here I am loving NZ!

[Nathan]

"Good point Jess... ". and "grrrrr. the american health insurance system has a lot of cracks..."

Yes, thank you, Jess. I hadn't thought of it that way. But I don't think individual health insurance is worth the paper it's printed on either. There are just too many ways for US insurers to renege.

As for cracks... they're cracks of the same scale as the Big Crack in AZ. And that's one of my big motivators for moving. I don't feel I'll ever really have economic freedom or freedom of employment in the States.

(Ooops! Sorry to hijack the thread. I do a lot of that, don't I?!:roll )

[Oregonkiwi]

I totally agree, Nathan. I loathe the US health insurance system and was soooo glad to leave it behind.