Access to healthcare for former refugees and current asylum seekers

You can access this service if you are enrolled with a participating healthcare provider on the list and have resettled or are currently in Aotearoa New Zealand through one of the following:

• refugee quota programme — including quota refugee emergency cases referred by the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR)
• family reunion refugees — refugee quota family reunification and refugee family support categories
• convention refugee or protected person
• asylum seeker.

The services are accessible for up to 10 years from your date of entry into Aotearoa New Zealand.

Asylum seekers are eligible to access this service if they:

• have an undecided refugee and protection status claim with the Refugee Status Branch, Immigration New Zealand
• appeal with the Immigration and Protection Tribunal, Ministry of Justice.

You will need to show your healthcare provider:

• a copy of your most recently dated letter from Immigration New Zealand confirming your refugee status, or your claim or appeal letter
• your passport (or certificate of identity).

You can access 3 services:

• 90-minute consultation (1 per person per year)
• 30-minute extended consultations
• flexible consults (episodic care).

Flexible consults can cover:

• vaccinations
• screening
• assessments
• diagnoses
• treatment
• rehabilitation
• onward referral
• family support.

Payment

• The first 75 minutes of a 90-minute consultation are paid for by Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora. You may need to pay for the last 15 minutes.
• The first 15 minutes of a 30-minute extended consultation are paid for by Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora. You may need to pay for the last 15 minutes.
• Flexible consults are paid in full by Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora.

You have access to trained interpreters if you need language support. There is no cost for this service.

Ask your healthcare provider to help you arrange an interpreter.

Access to interpretation services

The healthcare provider must provide access to interpreting services, including sign language, to people who require language support when accessing all general practice (primary care) services. This includes doctor, nurse or other health professional appointments.

Interpretation services can be:

• face to face
• virtual (online)
• phone interpreting services.

The healthcare provider is responsible for booking an interpreter for you.

A family member, friend(s) or colleague can be used as a support person but cannot be used as an interpreter. Use of a staff member as an interpreter is also not recommended.