If you want to learn more about how to create a budget for your healthcare and how to prioritise your health, you’ve come to the right place. See our step-by-step guide below. 

Step 1: Calculate the cost of New Zealand healthcare

Healthcare in New Zealand isn’t free. There is a mix of free services and subsidised services, meaning you’ll need to pay a fee to cover some of the costs. These fees are common on things like monthly prescriptions, GP visits, dentist visits and health services such as physiotherapy or chiropractic care. Medical bills can quickly add up over the course of a year, especially if you are responsible for children and family members in addition to yourself. Call your GP to check how much appointments cost and call the pharmacy to find out how much your prescriptions cost. Calculate how many times you pay per year plus additional costs you will likely incur to get an estimated cost of healthcare per year.

Step 2: Save for unexpected costs

Do you have enough savings to cover arising costs that are unexpected? How about if your estimated annual costs rise due to inflation? There are many unknowns when it comes to paying for your healthcare which can prove stressful. The future can be hard to predict and so it makes sense to make contingency plans and have backup funds available for those emergency scenarios.

Step 3: Get the most out of your healthcare

To maximise the use of health providers, you should aim to get the most out of every visit. For example, if you have a GP appointment, consider not only the issue at hand but anything else you may want them to check. This will reduce the number of spontaneous visits needed. Another thing to consider may be asking your GP about subsidised and partially subsidised medicines, such as paracetamol, to save money purchasing common medicine over the counter.

Step 4: Find a network you can trust to access health services

At HealthNow, we believe everyone deserves equal access to healthcare and the ability to prioritise their health with no barriers. Maintaining health is the most crucial element in living a long, happy and fulfilling life. Without health, you cannot do the things you want to do, or love to do to your fullest potential. Our aim is to reshape the way patients interact with the healthcare system and provide the tools and technology needed to remove barriers and make sure you get the care you need when you need it. 

Step 5: Create your account and start prioritising your health today

Become a part of the accessible health movement and get the health you need when you need it. Signing up takes less than 2 minutes, there’s no credit check on sign up so you can start transacting straight away. We offer the following services:

• Health Now, Pay Later: This offers you the ability to pay for health products and services over the course of up to 6 weeks interest-free.
• Self-Insurance: Subscribe to your future health needs by contributing weekly in advance so funds are ready to access when you need them most.
• Employer Aid: Ask your employer to contribute to their employees’ future health needs with this fund.

Speak to our helpful staff to find out everything you need to know about how HealthNow can help you find affordable and accessible healthcare in New Zealand. For further information, contact us now.