Prescriptions

Find out about prescription charges, the prescription subsidy scheme, and charges for other medicines.

Prescription charges

From 1 July 2024, the government prescription co-payment is back. People will have to pay the standard $5 prescription charge, with exemptions for people:

  • aged 13 years or under
  • holding a Community Services Card (CSC) holder, or a dependent child of a CSC holder
  • aged 65 years or over
  • holding a Prescription Subsidy Card (PSC).

This applies to every medicine on new prescriptions, but will not apply to repeat supplies on the same prescription. 

Prescriptions from specialists and non-publicly funded prescribers will still attract a:

  • $15 co-payment for adults 18 years and older
  • $10 co-payment for people aged 14 to 17 years old. 

This is reduced to $5 with a High Use Health Card, or an oral contraceptive prescribed by a private specialist. It will be free if a person holds a Community Services Card.

All prescriptions with either a $15, $10 or $5 co-payment will count towards the 20 prescription items a patient or family collect in a year. Once a person or family reach 20 paid prescription co-payments in a year, they can get a Prescription Subsidy Card. This means they will not have to pay any more prescription charges until the next 1 February. 

Pharmacies may charge for extra services such as medicines delivery or packaging. There may be an additional cost if a prescribed medicine is not fully subsidised. Fees for medicines that are not fully funded by Pharmac remain the same.

For more information talk to your general practice or pharmacist.

Prescription subsidy scheme

The subsidy is aimed at reducing costs for families and people who are prescribed a lot of medicines.

You become eligible for the subsidy once you have paid for 20 prescription items from 1 February each year. Once you are eligible, you do not have to pay any more prescription charges for the rest of that year (to 31 January).

You can reach the 20 item threshold by combining prescription items for your partner and dependent tamariki aged from 14 up to 18.

Just tell your regular pharmacist the names of all the people in your family to help them keep track of how many items you have paid for.

This information is gathered electronically so you no longer need to keep your receipts.

As there is no prescription charge on items for tamariki aged 13 and under, these items cannot be counted as part of the 20-item threshold.

Qualifying for a prescription subsidy

Talk to your pharmacist and make sure they know the names and ages of all the people in your family.

Your pharmacist will check the electronic records to see how many prescriptions you and any eligible family members have paid for since 1 February. If the total is 20 or more you will qualify for a prescription subsidy.

 Any pharmacy can check your eligibility.

Other charges for medicines

As not all medicines are funded, discuss any questions you have about prescription charges with your pharmacist.