Collins Judith: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Collins Judith: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:619;Page:14937] 
6.  
JUDITH COLLINS (National—Clevedon) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: Is she confident that all primary health organisations are delivering cheaper health-care to all New Zealanders; if not why not? 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister of Health) 
: 
 I am confident that the increased funding that is going to the primary health organisations has resulted in a very large number of New Zealanders especially the most vulnerable being able to receive more affordable health-care. For the first time in New Zealand the doctors in those primary health organisations have declared the fees that they will charge with the increased funding and the primary health organisations have undertaken to ensure that those fees are low or reduced when compared with the fees charged for people who are not eligible for the increased subsidies. 
Judith Collins 
: Is the Minister concerned that a recent survey illustrated that in many cases interim primary health organisations charge higher fees than non – primary health organisations and what does she say to the people who have to bear the brunt of increasing compliance costs such as those arising from the Holidays Act and the increased bureaucracy of the primary health organisations? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: It is true that the people in primary health organisations who are not being subsidised may well have had an increase in their fee. After all the Government has not put any additional money in for them and it is not unreasonable for doctors to increase their charges if they have increased costs. However between now and 2007 when we will finally subsidise all New Zealanders we will see some variation in the subsidies that people have. 
Nanaia Mahuta 
: Are people who are enrolled in primary health organisations entitled to know what their general practitioner is charging them following the increased Government subsidies? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Yes and a very good example of that is in Nelson where the local newspaper published all the fees for the local doctors. I have it here and it is a very good publication. For example the medical centre has free care for under-sixes and the charge is $22 for 6 to 17-year-olds and $22 for the over-65s. In fact all the over-65s pay $22 in every practice in Nelson. 
Barbara Stewart 
: Do all New Zealanders aged 65 and over benefit from the $3 maximum prescription charge as a result of belonging to a primary health organisation? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: All New Zealanders aged 65 and over in primary health organisations benefit from the $3 prescription charge. 
Heather Roy 
: Why has this Government launched a multimillion-dollar Television New Zealand advertising campaign that tells Kiwis that joining a primary health organisation means they will get cheaper doctors’ visits when Ministry of Health reports show that non – primary health organisation doctors charge less than interim primary health organisations and is that not because the administrative requirements of the primary health organisations are a nightmare? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: With regard to the last comment the member made no. The advertising is designed to inform the public of the services offered by primary health organisations. It became apparent that we needed to inform the public especially when the New Zealand doctors said in May last year that general practitioners were crying out for the public to be told about the primary health organisations. In fact they said: “Primary health organisations publicity drive urgently needed.” I could also add that I think it is important that we inform the public—particularly the Leader of the Opposition because when he was asked about a primary health organisation he said that he did not know what one was. 
Judith Collins 
: Does the Minister see any relationship between doctors putting up their prices and the increasing compliance costs such as those arising from the Holidays Act; if not what other reasons has the Government given doctors to put up their fees? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Doctors are private business people. They have the right to pass on costs like any other business. But I will tell the member that we had a compliance test panel carried out in 2001—[ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member has asked a question; she should at least listen to the answer. 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: I will start again. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No the Minister can carry on. 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Let me continue— 
Hon Tony Ryall 
: Answer the question! 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Yes I am answering the question. If Mr Ryall stopped screaming he might be able to hear the answer. He should take his pill. We had a test panel carried out on compliance costs for general practitioners. It was published in 2001 and it showed that during the 1990s the compliance costs were very high. They came from the community services card—the high-user card in particular. I am pleased to say that under the primary health organisations we are getting rid of the community services card and the high-user card—some of the high compliance costs that our doctors have had to face. 
Judith Collins 
: I seek leave to table a report from Feilding received this morning of an increase of 20 percent in the primary health organisation’s charges showing that for a 73-year-old who previously paid $25 a visit it now costs $30. 
Document not tabled.