Pledge of $18 GP fees for low-income Kiwis

National has made an election promise that 600,000 low-income New Zealanders will have access to $18 GP visits.

Party leader Bill English said National would also expand the community services card to an additional 350,000 people with low incomes and high housing costs.

Alongside free GP visits for under-13s and the Very Low Cost Access (VLCA) scheme for GP visits, which were already in place, National’s new policy would mean more than half of New Zealanders would be eligible for either free or cheap visits to doctors.

Many of the extra 350,000 people who would have access to a community services card would be everyone on an income-related rent subsidy or the accommodation supplement, who would be made automatically eligible for the card.

‘‘As well as getting access to cheap GP visits, 350,000 more New Zealanders with lower incomes and high housing costs will receive cheap prescriptions, free emergency dental care and free glasses for children through their new community services cards,’’ Coleman said.

The policy will rely on buy-in from GP practices, and Coleman said the Government would vie for a minimum uptake of 85 per cent in the immediate future, if reelected.

Under the scheme, VLCA practices receive more funding and cap their fees at $18 for adults as long as 50 per cent of their patients are ‘‘high needs’’.

The scheme has been subject to criticism in recent years, as it was not necessarily being targeted to the areas with the highest need patients.

In 2015, it was estimated more than 430,000 high-needs patients were not enrolled at VLCA practices.

Under yesterday’s announcement, there would be no change to the VLCA scheme, however National has moved to shut down those access criticisms by extending it to anyone with a community services card.

The policy was expected to cost $380 million and could be in place by November next year.

The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners welcomed the announcement. College President Dr Tim Malloy said he was ‘‘delighted’’ with it.

‘‘The fact that GP visits were unaffordable for hundreds of thousands of Kiwis was a major concern for the college and its members,’’ said Malloy.

‘‘The current Very Low Cost Access subsidy was not achieving what it was intended to do – and the situation needed to be urgently addressed.

‘‘We are pleased our concerns have been heard, but most importantly, we are relieved for those who are most in need. It would make a big difference to people’s lives, being able to go to the doctors immediately, when they get sick,’’ Malloy said.

‘‘We look forward to the opportunity to work with the Government to turn this proposal into reality.’’

Meanwhile, Labour has announced a $20m commitment to invest in a commuter rail service linking Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga.

Labour leader Jacinda Ardern said yesterday her party would also ‘‘double’’ funding to help complete important regional roading projects if it becomes the Government after September’s general election.

‘‘The ‘Golden Triangle’ of Auckland, Hamilton, and Tauranga contains half our population and economy,’’ she said.