Please note as of Monday 01/07/2024, charges for prescriptions will be changing.
From 1 July, there will be a $5.00 charge for each new prescribed medicine, unless you fall into one of the following groups:
- Aged 13 years or under
- A Community Services cardholder (or a dependent child of a cardholder)
- Aged 65 years or over
- Hold a Prescription Subsidy Card (PSC)
This $5 charge applies only to new prescriptions and does not apply to repeats on the same prescription form. If you or your family receive 20 new prescription items within a year, you can obtain a Prescription Subsidy Card. With this card, you won’t have to pay any additional prescription charges until February 1 of the following year. Ask your pharmacist for more details. Please note that prescription charges written by private specialists and private dentists remain unchanged at $15 (for adults) or $10 (for ages 14-17). However, these charges are reduced to $5 if you have a High Use Health card or if your oral contraceptive was prescribed by a private specialist. Additionally, they remain free if you have a community services card. (Source: Te Whatu Ora)
To prepare for this change:
- Check if you are eligible for a Community Services Card, you can download and apply online here
- Ask your chemist if you are eligible for free prescriptions.
- Inquire with the Ministry of Social Development if you are eligible for assistance with prescriptions (www.msd.govt.nz)
