Labour proposes giving every New Zealander three free GP visits a year, claimed with a new Medicard at the practice they are enrolled with. The visits cover a doctor or nurse appointment, do not roll over if unused, and exclude after-hours and ACC care. Alongside it the party would change how general practice is funded, through an Independent Pricing Authority, and fund the package from its proposed capital gains tax.
People receive a Medicard at birth, or when they become a citizen, resident, or otherwise eligible for healthcare. It is used at the practice you are enrolled with, and the same three visits are accessible through an app.
The entitlement is three visits per person per calendar year and does not accumulate — unused visits do not carry into the next year. Where an issue is resolved through phone triage rather than an appointment, it is not counted against the three.
The document sets out the funding model as the underlying problem: general practice has been paid mainly a flat amount per enrolled person, with clinics able to charge a co-payment on top. It cites independent analysis from 2022 finding general practice underfunded by around 7.6 percent — about $137 million against total practice income of $1.67 billion.
A proposed new body, modelled on Australia’s Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority, would set a national evidence-based rate for GP funding, and be operating by July 2028. When the rate rises, Health NZ would be required to fund the increase the following year.
Labour says more people seeing a doctor is the point, and that it worked with general practice representatives on changes to free up around 4.58 million appointments a year.
Three smaller measures sit alongside the visits themselves, aimed at practice running costs and how technology is adopted.
Labour’s own costings for the whole package — the visits themselves, the Medicard and app, clinical triage, digital tools, self-care, the Independent Pricing Authority and facilities grants. The document does not state an independent cost check.
“The three free visits apply per year and don’t roll over. If they aren’t used within the year, they won’t carry into the next.”
“Your three free visits cover appointments with a doctor or nurse at your enrolled general practice. They don’t include services that are already free (such as immunisations or Access and Choice services), after-hours care, or ACC visits.”
“Money currently in co-payments will be added to general practice funding, so clinics won’t be worse off under the new system.”
Points the document defers or leaves undefined. These are gaps in the document, not criticisms of the policy.
Which party holds a published position on which topic.
Swipe across to see all 11 topics — the party column stays put.
| Party | Economy | Housing | Health | Education | Climate | Environment | Crime & Justice | Treaty & Māori Affairs | Immigration | Foreign Policy | Democracy & Government |
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