[Tara Sage]

Someone pointed out to me the other day that if you have a medical emergency (not an accident) and you need to call an ambulance YOU WILL BE BILLED!!!!

Alternatively become a supporter of the St Johns ambulance $30 per individual or $45 per household and you can use the ambulance system without being charged.

[Timbo]

Good snippet of advice Tara, thanks. Is that figure per year?
Does the billing apply to fire services as well do you know? I seem to remember the fire brigade being, at least partly, voluntary.

[Tara Sage]

Not sure about fire service?!

The St johns fees are yearly just visit there website to register!

[MB]

Thanks, Tara.. by the by I know this might be best left to the Medical forum but -- as a quickie -- the long blue 'New Opps., New Start, NZ' booklet seems to use the terms citizen and resident kinda sorta interchangeably in the Health section. As a rule of thumb, do those with PR get basically the same (public) health and education 'deal' as citizens?

[Tara Sage]

Yeap from what I can gather once you got PR you are entitled to the same things as NZ citizens