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New Zealand First Party on Health Care

Possibly the largest domestic issue in 2008, health care is a problem that is universally recognized and answered with a diversity of prescriptions from the candidates. Private versus government funded health care and the definition of "universal" care split the candidates across their respective policies. This topic includes information about candidate positions on: universal health care, privatization of health care, government support for health care through tax incentives, and employer assistance in obtaining health care.

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The issues

New Zealand First Party opposes private-public partnerships/more private sector involvement in the health sector

“New Zealand First wants a properly funded and resourced public health service. As a starting point we must move toward health expenditure of 10% of GDP... When last in government New Zealand First undertook to remove the profit focus from the health system.”

New Zealand First Party supports efforts to encourage New Zealanders to take out private health insurance

New Zealand First wants to "explore options associated with boosting uptake of private health insurance, including the provision of tax rebates for those with private health insurance."

New Zealand First Party supports the introduction of cheaper dental healthcare

New Zealand First would ensure that “all pre-school and school children receive adequate dental care and fully implement a national strategy that includes a shake-up of the state funding of teenagers’ dental treatment.”

New Zealand First Party strongly supports free doctors’ visits and prescriptions being offered to all children of primary school age

New Zealand First would extend its 1997 initiative of free doctors visits and prescriptions to include all primary school-aged children.

New Zealand First Party is neutral on Pharmac extending the funding of the anti-cancer Herceptin from nine weeks to 12 months

No specific policy on Herceptin, but the party says it will “conduct a review of the efficiency and efficacy of Pharmac’s operations and of the adequacy of pharmaceutical funding."

New Zealand First Party is neutral on removing high fat/sugar foods from schools

No policy

New Zealand First Party supports opening ACC to competition from the private sector

Deputy leader Peter Brown has said the party does not support competition to ACC and leader Winston Peters has attacked National for its plan to open ACC to competition. However the party has issued no policy on this issue.