NZ government confirms free prescriptions for children under 13 years.
The New Zealand government has released its budget in which it has announced it will set aside $90m over five years to provide for free prescriptions and GP visits for children under the age of 13.
The policy will start on 01 Jul 2015 and has $30m budgeted for 2015-16, $30m for 2016-17 and $30m for 2017-18.
Previously, children under the age of six had free prescriptions, with a $5 charge for subsidised medication for people over six.
Health made up $15.1b of the total $73.1b core crown expenses for the 2014-15 budget.
For more, see tomorrow’s Pharmacy Daily.