Registering with a PHO for new resident

[webmister]

Can someone tell me the process for registering with PHOs for health cover or subsidized healthcare? I went to a PHOs office to register but was told that I can only register through a GP doctor and the doctor will charge a fee for that. My understanding from the material on the internet was that I need to register with the PHOs office for free and then I can go to a doctor for health cover.

Can anyone tell me the correct procedure?

Thanks.

[dharder]

Can anyone tell me the correct procedure?

You register with a GP practice that is willing to take you (some GPs have more patients than others), and they do the rest. At least that is what I recall happening with us back then.

Daniela

[Familyofmonkeys]

Basically it is as simple as enrolling with a GP at a practice that take PHO subsidies for patients...most do. They will get you to fill a form out at the reception desk, and your GP appointments will then be partly subsidised by the PHO after the next roll-over date, which is approx once every 3 months. Before the roll-over date, you will pay a higher fee. All GP practices will be able to tell you the fees they charge for enrolled patients and the higher fees for casual (i.e. non-enrolled) patients. Bear in mind that if you see a GP at a different practice for out-of-hours care, you will not be enrolled with them and will pay a higher fee.

[72andsunny]

Basically it is as simple as enrolling with a GP at a practice that take PHO subsidies for patients...most do. They will get you to fill a form out at the reception desk, and your GP appointments will then be partly subsidised by the PHO after the next roll-over date, which is approx once every 3 months. Before the roll-over date, you will pay a higher fee. All GP practices will be able to tell you the fees they charge for enrolled patients and the higher fees for casual (i.e. non-enrolled) patients. Bear in mind that if you see a GP at a different practice for out-of-hours care, you will not be enrolled with them and will pay a higher fee.

I would expect the GP to charge you PHO rates as soon as you have filled out the form (ie: your first visit). However, most GPs do charge more for a first visit...you could get around this additional charge by making your first visit an ACC claim.

Note: we only have one PHO in Hawke's Bay. Things may work a little differently in the big city.

[Familyofmonkeys]

I would expect the GP to charge you PHO rates as soon as you have filled out the form (ie: your first visit). However, most GPs do charge more for a first visit...you could get around this additional charge by making your first visit an ACC claim.

Note: we only have one PHO in Hawke's Bay. Things may work a little differently in the big city.

Over the last 5.5 years we've been enrolled with 3 different GP practices (2 in Auckland, one in rural Canterbury) and in all 3 cases we have needed to wait until the next roll-over date in order to be charged the enrolled fees. In each case they have been able to tell us exactly when that date was. In one case we only needed to wait about 3 weeks until the next roll-over date, but last time we missed the previous one by 2 days and therefore needed to wait the full 3 months. I therefore ended up having to pay a higher fee to see the new GP for a first visit as I have repeat prescriptions that needed sorting out before that time was up. However the rest of my family doesn't have this issue and have never needed to pay more the first time they've visited a GP.

[jawnbc]

Exactly right. The rollover date for the one I'm signing up for is 01 February for 01 April. So I'll sign up this week and then start using them in April. It's silly and stoopid and totally gets up my nose.

Over the last 5.5 years we've been enrolled with 3 different GP practices (2 in Auckland, one in rural Canterbury) and in all 3 cases we have needed to wait until the next roll-over date in order to be charged the enrolled fees. In each case they have been able to tell us exactly when that date was. In one case we only needed to wait about 3 weeks until the next roll-over date, but last time we missed the previous one by 2 days and therefore needed to wait the full 3 months. I therefore ended up having to pay a higher fee to see the new GP for a first visit as I have repeat prescriptions that needed sorting out before that time was up. However the rest of my family doesn't have this issue and have never needed to pay more the first time they've visited a GP.

[JandM]

(First consultation: Doctor, doctor, there's something wrong with my nose...)

[jawnbc]

Lol!