advice on prescriptions and council tax,

[nicola_smith]

Hi

we are in the early stages of applying for jobs and visas EOI and everything else that comes with emigrating, my husband is working out the cost of living out in Christchurch and was wondering how and if there is an equivalent to council tax and if so how does it work on a rented property and what is included in the cost and if there's anything that you have to pay on top.???

the other thing he is diabetic and each month he has 2 different tablets and insulin what is the prescription rates out there and is there a form of a discount as its an on-going prescription??

when we was last out there in 2006 the prescription charges was $15 per item has the price changed much ??

Any advice is warmly welcomed,

[Mamee & Co]

Hi Nicola

Council tax ( its equivalent) is included in the rental amount. It has to be paid by the property owner. S when you rent you nly have things like phone and electricity on top, but no "council tax"

Prescription charges are currently about $5 per item. A GP visit cost somewhere between $30-40. You will pay more if you are not signed up with the a GP and getting subsidy from the local DHB.

[ralf-nz]

Council tax ( its equivalent) is included in the rental amount. It has to be paid by the property owner. S when you rent you nly have things like phone and electricity on top, but no "council tax"

It is my experience too that council rates are generally included in the rent. You may want to check it on the council's web site; they usually publish this information.
This will also tell you if water (fresh/sewage) is included or not. Most often in NZ you pay a lump sum for it in residential settings. However occasionally water gets metered and then it's a different story.

[Mamee & Co]

In Christchurch water, sewerage etc. is included in the property tax (rates) paid by the property owner.

[72andsunny]

the other thing he is diabetic and each month he has 2 different tablets and insulin what is the prescription rates out there and is there a form of a discount as its an on-going prescription??

when we was last out there in 2006 the prescription charges was $15 per item has the price changed much ??

Any advice is warmly welcomed,

Fully subsidized medications are $5 per (up to) 90 day supply (providing you and your doctor are enrolled with a PHO). Confused yet? You will not be charged for more than 12 (fully subsidized) prescriptions per year putting the out of pocket cost at $60.

And now it gets confusing: If you're husband's tablets aren't metformin and glipizide (we also have gliclazide), they will be considerably more. I lied, pioglitazone is still funded, though there is very little use of it here.

Insulin coverage has gotten better, Lantus and Apidra are both subsidized.

Run his meds through here; it is hard to read, but if they appear it is generally a good sign. http://pharmac.govt.nz/patients/Phar...edule/Schedule

[nicola_smith]

thank you for your advice that's a big help xxx

thanks for that link sunny hes on lantus metaformin and simvastatin (something like that lol ) xx I will check with your link xx