k-k
17th April 2006, 05:40 PM
Thought this might be of interest to anyone who wants info on the prescription and medicine prices in NZ. I've just started working in a pharmacy and after being used to the system in the UK where you either pay for your scripts or you are exempt the system here is extremely complicated.
www.pharmac.govt.nz gives detail of the prescription charges. Look under section 2, Pharmaceutical Schedule.
Some prescribed medicines are subsidised by the government meaning you only pay the prescription charge. Others are partially subsidised or not subsidised at all (here you will have to pay part or all of the medicine cost as well as the prescription charge). Also different brands of the same drug may have different subsidy status e.g for Salbutamol inhalers, the government fully subsidise the generic make (in this case Salamol) but only partially subsidise the Ventolin brand.
You can check a medicines subsidy status on the same website under Interactive Schedule. Just type in the medicine name.
The range of prescribed medicines seems to be alot smaller than we're used to in the UK and many are only available if prescribed by a specialist not the GP. This can affect their subsidy status aswell. Also there is no medical exemption list so you still pay the prescription charge for things like thyroxine and insulin (both are subsidised though).
A quick guide to the charges for subsidised medicines :
Adults $15 per item, Children 6-17yrs $10, Children under 6 are free and contraceptive scripts are $3. There may be a variation in these prices if the surgery you register with is an access PHO practice, but that's a whole different story.
Hope this helps.
k-k
www.pharmac.govt.nz gives detail of the prescription charges. Look under section 2, Pharmaceutical Schedule.
Some prescribed medicines are subsidised by the government meaning you only pay the prescription charge. Others are partially subsidised or not subsidised at all (here you will have to pay part or all of the medicine cost as well as the prescription charge). Also different brands of the same drug may have different subsidy status e.g for Salbutamol inhalers, the government fully subsidise the generic make (in this case Salamol) but only partially subsidise the Ventolin brand.
You can check a medicines subsidy status on the same website under Interactive Schedule. Just type in the medicine name.
The range of prescribed medicines seems to be alot smaller than we're used to in the UK and many are only available if prescribed by a specialist not the GP. This can affect their subsidy status aswell. Also there is no medical exemption list so you still pay the prescription charge for things like thyroxine and insulin (both are subsidised though).
A quick guide to the charges for subsidised medicines :
Adults $15 per item, Children 6-17yrs $10, Children under 6 are free and contraceptive scripts are $3. There may be a variation in these prices if the surgery you register with is an access PHO practice, but that's a whole different story.
Hope this helps.
k-k