This section covers the subsidies and services delivered through primary health organisations.
Following Budget 2018 announcements we have updated the following pages:
Primary health care subsidies and services
In this section
- The capitation-based payment system is based on the enrolled PHO population. PHOs and their general practices are paid according to the number of people enrolled, not the number of times a provider sees patients. Read more
- Capitation rates from 1 July 2018. All rates exclude GST and are annualised amounts. Read more
- Care Plus is a primary health care initiative to support people with high health need due to chronic conditions, acute medical or mental health needs, or terminal illness. Read more
- The Community Services Card can help individuals and their families with the costs of health care. It entitles the holder and their family to a reduction in the cost of some health services and prescriptions. Read more
- General Medical Service subsidies are available when a general practice or after-hours treatment provider sees a patient who is not enrolled in a PHO or cannot access the practice they are enrolled with. Read more
- Primary health organisations are funded to develop health promotion programmes for their enrolled populations. Read more
- The High Use Health Card gives a general practice a higher government subsidy for patients with high health needs. Read more
- Information on the National Enrolment Service, how it is being implemented, and what this means for PHOs and general practice. Read more
- Babies can be enrolled with their general practice soon after birth so they can receive essential health care on time. Read more
- Everyone who is eligible for publicly funded health services should in most circumstances pay only $5 for subsidised medicines. Read more
- As part of their annual business plans, primary health organisation must say how they will improve the mental health outcomes for their enrolled populations. Read more
- Funding for rural premiums supports the retention and recruitment of the rural primary health care workforce Read more
- The Ministry will be scoping the introduction of an annual health check (including eye check) for SuperGold Card holders. Read more
- Services to Improve Access funding is available for all primary health organisations to reduce inequalities among populations with poor health status. Read more
- The Very Low Cost Access scheme supports general practices with a majority of high needs patients, where the practice agrees to maintain patient fees at a low level. Read more
- Most general practices offer zero fee visits for children aged under 13. Children under 13 are also exempt from the standard $5 charge for each item of prescription medicine, though other charges may apply. Read more