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Waikato DHB Wants to Confirm Patient Eligibility
Media Release
Date: Tuesday July 10, 2007
Waikato
DHB Wants to Confirm Patient Eligibility
More than 4000 Waikato District Health Board patients will be asked to confirm their eligibility to receive New Zealand taxpayer-funded healthcare.
The patients in Waikato DHB's patient administration computer system either show as being born outside New Zealand or with unknown eligibility.
Acting Health Services General Manager Grant Howard says the introduction of the DHB's new patient computer system took place over Easter Weekend. As part of the update the DHB needs to fill in some of the blanks which have been revealed since then.
Dr Howard said the letters, which will be sent out this week, ask the patient to prove their eligibility by providing DHB staff a copy of their passport or birth certificate. It is part of government policy the DHB is required to follow.
"We apologise if you have provided this information previously and the last thing we want is for people to feel offended," he said.
"However it is critical that we update our records."
Dr Howard said the DHB would review any ineligible patients who received treatment and bill them accordingly. A patient would be referred back to their GP if they are ineligible.
Government funding of health services means that eligible people may receive free inpatient and outpatient public hospital services, subsidies on prescription items and a range of support services for people with disabilities in the community.
To access publicly-funded health services, you must be lawfully in New Zealand at the time of seeking services and be eligible as defined by the Ministry of Health. Currently eligibility is defined as per the criteria detailed at: http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf
The assistance of patients with this matter is very much appreciated, said Dr Howard.
ENDS
Waikato District Health Board
Healthy People. Excellent Care
Waikato District Health Board (DHB) employs over 6500 people and plans, funds and provides hospital and health services to more than 391,770 people in a region covering eight per cent of New Zealand.
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