Have you ever wondered about the real cost of healthcare in New Zealand? It may come as a surprise, but even small medical procedures can add up to thousands of dollars.
To give you an idea of the typical costs of some common procedures, here’s a quick overview:
|
Procedure type |
Typical cost |
|
Skin cancer removal |
$300-$2,200 |
|
Breast cancer surgery |
$7,100-$20,800 |
|
Endometriosis surgery |
$9,400-$23,000 |
|
Varicose veins |
$4,900-$8,100 |
|
Heart valve replacement surgery |
$63,200-$80,400 |
|
Hip replacement |
$23,800-$28,600 |
|
Knee replacement |
$24,700-$30,100 |
|
Prostate cancer surgery |
$18,100-$26,800 |
|
Colonoscopy (with or without associated procedure) |
$1,900-$3,300 |
|
Tonsil removal |
$4,500-$6,500 |
|
Squint correction |
$5,000-$8,300 |
|
Grommet surgery |
$2,200-$2,800 |
Source: Southern Cross claims data 2021/2022
How health insurance can help
Rather than waiting in the public healthcare system, health insurance allows you to be treated as a private patient – without having to pay for the full cost of the procedure out of your pocket.
Benefits and allowances vary from provider to provider, and from policy to policy. But the numbers above give you some pretty interesting ballpark figures to consider.
A good health insurance plan will cover 100% of your major medical expenses, minus the excess you select (the part of the hospital bill that you pay). You can usually choose extra ‘specialists and tests’ or ‘dental’ add-on if you need or want those covered. Plus, some policies offer cover for non-Pharmac funded treatments, including certain Medsafe-approved life-extending cancer treatments.
Simply put, health insurance is all about having more options when it comes to healthcare: click here to learn more.
What Kiwis are claiming on their health cover
You may like to know what the most claimed-upon procedures in New Zealand are. Again, here are Southern Cross’s top five claims in the month of October 2022. Other insurers may have different figures, but this table gives you an indication.
|
Procedure type |
Number of claims paid |
Total amount paid |
|
Total knee replacement |
177 |
$4.8 million |
|
Colonoscopy |
1,957 |
$4.8 million |
|
Total hip replacement |
167 |
$4.3 million |
|
Spinal fusion |
66 |
$3.7 million |
|
Excision skin lesion |
2,462 |
$2.9 million |
Source: Southern Cross, Top Claims data for October 2022
And here’s a breakdown by procedure specialty:
|
Procedure specialty |
Number of claims paid |
Total amount paid |
|
Orthopaedic |
1,417 |
$19.9 million |
|
Imaging and tests |
35,930 |
$13.3 million |
|
General surgery |
1,407 |
$9.6 million |
|
Specialist consultations |
44,113 |
$9.4 million |
|
Gynaecology |
1,087 |
$7.8 million |
Source: Southern Cross, Top Claims data for October 2022
Looking for health insurance?
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Disclaimer: Please note that the content provided in this article is intended as an overview and as general information only. While care is taken to ensure accuracy and reliability, the information provided is subject to continuous change and may not reflect current developments or address your situation. Before making any decisions based on the information provided in this article, please use your discretion and seek independent guidance.
