Health Services We Fund

Pharmacy

Medicine Charges

What should I be paying for my medicines?

When you get a prescription dispensed from a community pharmacy you will normally be asked to pay charges. If you are unsure what the cost might be, ask the pharmacist what the cost is BEFORE it is dispensed. If you don't know what you are being asked to pay for, ask the pharmacy to explain the charges to you.

There are three types of charges. What you will be asked to pay may be a mix of these.

Prescription Charge

There is a standard prescription charge set by the Government on each prescription item irrespective of how much medicine is dispensed. What you get charged depends on whether you are enrolled in a Primary Health Organisation (PHO) or not. People who are not enrolled in a PHO do pay lower charges if they have a Community Services Cards.

For people enrolled in a PHO, the prescription charge will usually be $3 per item. Prescriptions written by After Hours services within Counties Manukau will also usually be $3.00.

All prescriptions issued by a public hospital or a midwife will be $3.00.

If you visit a doctor in another district or get a prescription dispensed outside of Counties Manukau you will need to tell the dispensing pharmacy that you are enrolled with a PHO in order to be eligible for the $3.00 charge.

Families that pay a charge for 20 prescriptions between 1 February and 31 January in any year through the prescription subsidy card are also entitled to lower charges.

Prescription Charges

Maximum Prescription Charge

Services that are not publicly funded e.g. private specialists

Adult

$15

Child 6-17

$10

Child under 6

$0

CSC or HUHC *

$3

GP services to PHO enrolees with or without a community services card

Adult, Child 6-17

$3

Child 0-6

$0

Prescription from a public hospital or midwife

Adult, Child 6-17

$3

Child 0-6

$0

Prescription subsidy card (after 20 prescriptions)

PHO enrolee

$0

Child 0-6yrs

$0

Others

$2

* CSC means a "Community Services Card" and HUHC means "High Use Health Card".

Additional Charges for Medicines

Not all medicines are funded by the Counties Manukau District Health Board. Some medicines are not funded and consumers pay for these. Other medicines are partly funded and consumers pay the difference between the subsidy and cost. The charge may differ between pharmacies. There is usually a fully subsidised alternative for medicines that are partly funded. You can ask your doctor or pharmacist about fully funded alternatives.
Additional Pharmacy Costs

Pharmacies are entitled to charge you charges for additional services, but not for the actual dispensing of your medicines. Such charges include delivery fees, after hours call out charges, special packaging. Not all pharmacies charge additional costs.

Published: 09-Apr-2009 | Website enquiries: Web Content Manager