Hi Victor,
Good to know you're settling in well in Tauranga and have your business under way. Macfod can confirm or deny this but I believe, because your LTBV is for more than 1 year, you are entitled to the same health benefits as those with PR or long term WPs. You still have to pay a fee, the same as everyone else, but it wouldn't be as much as a tourist or someone on a 1-year visa would have to pay.
Under the state healthcare scheme, a flat rate is levied for each visit to a doctor, irrespective of the nature of the visit. The basic consultation fee is from $45 to $55 and visits at night and weekends cost $10 to $15 extra. Visits to a GP are subsidised by $15 for children aged 6-17 and by $35 for children under six. Some GPs waive the fee for treating children under six.
Adults who visit the doctor often or who receive social benefits receive a $15 subsidy. If you have a Community Services Card, a doctor’s visit costs $15 to $20 for an adult and around $10 for a child over five. If you need to visit the doctor frequently (at least 12 times a year), you can apply for a High Use Health Card from your doctor, which entitles you to the same reductions as a CSC.
Dentists are a different matter. Most dentists in New Zealand are in private practice, as the public health scheme doesn’t extend to dentistry, except in the case of children. Children at primary schools see a school dental nurse and many primary schools have a dental surgery on the premises. Reading through this previous thread will give you some idea of
costs.