Why Not?  More than 1.38 million Kiwi’s have health insurance to provide the security of knowing they are protected and have a choice should they experience a health problem

Nobody likes to think they will have a health problem, but the reality is that many of us will.
That is why we need hospitals.

Most of us probably have family or friends who have experienced a sudden and unexpected health scare and some of us will know people who  have had to wait weeks or even years for appropriate treatment

Having Health Insurance means:

• You avoid delays in the public health system
• You have a choice of where, when where and how you get treated
• You minimise stress about how to pay your health care bills
• You have cover now for unforseen health issues that may arise in the future
• You have access to the latest technology and procedures

Waiting may Mean:

• Loss of income as you may not be able to work
• Periods of pain  and discomfort
• Your condition could deteriorate
• Your family could also suffer through the financial and emotional stress

The public health system in New Zealand is reasonably good, but it is periodically overloaded and there can be long waiting periods for elective or non-critical surgery. In many instances, going ‘private’ for your surgery is a quicker way of restoring your quality of life. However,‘private’ hospitals and surgery can be very expensive unless you have medical insurance in place.

The table below shows common surgery procedures and their current costs:

PROCEDURE	COST NZ$
MRI Scan	$900 – $2,200
Removal of wisdom teeth	$1,400 – $8,600
Hernia repair	$2,400 – $6,000
Cataract removal (eye surgery)	$3,500 – $4,000 per eye
Angiogram (heart check)	$3,900 – $4,400
Mastectomy (breast removal without reconstruction)	$4,000 – $9,000
Hip replacement	$15,000 – $22,000
Angioplasty (coronary artery surgery with 2 stents)	$18,000 – $20,000
Cardiac bypass (heart disease surgery)	$40,000 – $50,000
* procedure costs will vary depending on the location, the medical practitioner/s, medical complications and the medical procedure and technology used.

In 2006, the latest year figures are available, 18,610 Kiwis were diagnosed with cancer.
Ministry of Health, 2009. Mortality and Demographic data 2006
In the year to September 2009 the health insurance industry paid out $743 million in claims Source:
Health Funds Assoc of NZ