Medication

[Shazzy2]

Can anyone help me please. I've been offered a job in AKL. I suffer with bp, not bad, but need tabs also I suffer with eczema and asthma. I know I can get my medication in NZ. The question is - can I go to the doctors and get my medication on prescription? Do they have a similar thing to the UK - repeat prescriptions? I know you have to pay for the doctor down there and also the prescriptions. Also would it matter if I'm only down there on a work permit?
Many thanks for anyones help - just registered and my first posting.

[Taffy]

Hi,

Welcome to the forum :)

Yes, you can get repeat prescriptions. Some medications, such as asthma inhalers, are subsidised so you only pay a small amount towards them. Not sure about BP or eczema, but they most likely are too. With the repeats here, you are given all your prescriptions on one order, and have a time limit to collect them before it expires. You then just need to go to the chemist to pick them up when you need them. When the order runs out, you need to go back to the docs.

This applies if you are on a work permit too.

Congratulations on the job!

[MotherBear]

Hi Shazzy and

Don't know if you've seen this Pharmac site. You can type in the name of your meds and it'll tell you if they are available in NZ, whether they are subsidised and also what price they are likely to be.

I think I put this NZIS link on somewhere else recently, but I'll post it again here in case it's of any use. It gives a brief description of costs relating to medical services in NZ.

I'll add my congratulations regarding the job in Auckland. Yay!

[KiwiHopeful]

I take Lisinopril myself for BP and it looks like it's going to cost me about 75% of what it costs me here in the US ... and I have excellent insurance coverage!

Though, I admit, if I swallowed my pride I could get it for $4 US at Wal-Mart, but I try to feed that beast as little as possible.

[ebianca]

Hi

Is there any websites where I can find out if the pill i take in UK is available in NZ?

Also is there a charge for the pill in NZ as they are free in the UK and how long do the doctors usually give a prescription for?

I used to work in a pharmacy in the UK until I had my second child and the NZ system seems to be baffeling me a little on charges etc.

Do you pay per item (i.e if 2 inhalers prescriped you pay 2 charges) or per prescription?

My husband is also asthmatic- same questions as above- are there charges and how long a supply does the doctor usually give.

Beth

[Shazzy2]

Thanks to everyone for their responses. Feeling better about it now. Thanks to Mother Bear for her links. Just spent 45 mins clicking away on Pharmac and NZIS. What a great little community there is here!!!!

[MotherBear]

Ebianca, if you click on the red Pharmac link on my previous post and enter the name of your pill, it should tell you whether it?s available in NZ.

On this site , again it describes how the health system works, but all I can find regarding prescription costs is this:

The maximum charge for prescribed medicines that are listed on the Pharmaceutical Schedule is either the price of the item or $15, which ever is the lesser amount. The Schedule lists around 2600 prescription medicines and related products subsidised by the Government.

I?m sure someone will know whether you have to pay for each item or per prescription.

While we're on the subject - this is just one particular health centre , but you might find the costings of some use to give an idea of what the GPs charge for different things. It also discusses how the Community Services Card can help keep down your costs.

[ebianca]

Thnks MB.

I tried the Pharmac site before and nothing came up with my pill with either the brand name or the drug name which I found a bit odd unless they only do the combined pill in NZ and not the 'mini pill'.

That health centre side was quite usefull. I know that health care will be more expensive in NZ as in the UK most of it is free- except for prescriptions.

if you have health insurance in NZ does this cover your GP fees etc?

Beth

[MotherBear]

Originally Posted by ebianca

I tried the Pharmac site before and nothing came up with my pill with either the brand name or the drug name which I found a bit odd unless they only do the combined pill in NZ and not the 'mini pill'.

Did you try selecting the Medsafe Datasheet on the Pharmac site? It says you can search by ingredient on there. Perhaps you could find something similar but with a different name.

I’m beginning to suspect that you have to pay per item of medication, not per prescription, as it always talks about charges as 'per item' like on here again. I never see it as a charge per prescription.

Re private medical insurance, this link to a previous post throw up a few companies that deal in this. It might be worth rummaging through them to see exactly what they cover. They usually have different packages you can take up and you can take your pick on what you want to cover.

[Taffy]

Prescriptions are charged as a maximum amount per item basis. So as an example:

You need tablet A, tablet B and inhaler C

Scenario A - You are prescribed:

Tablet A x 3 Packs - You pay $15
Tablet B x 2 Packs - You pay $15
Inhaler C x 1 - You pay $15

Total = $45

This is a repeat for 3 prescriptions, so each time you go back, you will pay $45.

Scenario B You are prescribed:

Tablet A x 1 Pack - You pay $15
Tablet B x 3 Packs - You pay $15
Inhaler C x 12 - You pay $15

Total = $45

This is also a repeat for 3 prescriptions, so each time you go back, you will pay $45.

The prices depend on the item, some prescription items are more expensive, and others like asthma inhalers can be as low as $3. In the example, you pay the maximum of $15, as the rest is subsidised.

Most doctors can tell you whether something is subsidised or not, and your local pharmacy will tell you how much it will cost.