Medical cover for visitors

Press, 28 March 1979, Page 26

Medical cover for visitors

PA Dunedin Hospital boards want visitors to be told on entering New Zealand that niedicai and hospital treatment are not free, and be advised to take insurance cover. A remit urging the Government to have this information on all entry documents has been passed at the biennial conference of the Hospital Boards’ Association at Dunedin. It was put forward by the Auckland and Wellington hospital boards. Overseas visitors who qualified for free medical and hospital treatment by claiming they intended to live in New Zealand for two years or more, should be required to give proof of their intentions, the remit urged. Mrs M. Yukich (Auckland), said the dream of free medical care for all people financed bv taxes had become eroded and it seemed that some people were now more equal than others. Overseas visitors were -eceiving. at very little cost, medical or surgical treatment at a cost to the New Zealand taxpayer. They were sometimes denying tax-paying New Zealanders hospital beds. Mr J. O. Macie. of the Health Department, told the conference that the department had asked its health education branch to

work out a draft pamphlet containing information about payment of medical fees and hospital expenses by overseas visitors. This would recommend they should take out health insurance either in their own countries or in New Zealand.

Compulsory health insurance had also been suggested, but this was difficult and could invite retaliation from other nations.