Equity in access to zero-fees and low-cost Primary Health Care in Aotearoa New Zealand: Results from repeated waves of the New Zealand Health Survey, 1996-2016.

ABSTRACT

Primary Health Care in Aotearoa New Zealand is mainly funded through capitation-based funding to general practices, supplemented by a user co-payment. Funding is designed in part to keep the costs of care low for key groups in the population who have higher health needs. We investigated changes in the socio-demographic determinants of no-cost and low-cost access to Primary Health Care using data from sequential waves of the New Zealand Health Survey (1996/97-2016/17). Fees paid were self-reported and inflated using CPI-adjustment to the value of the 2018NZD. Over the 20-year study period, there was an increase in the population accessing low-cost care. Access to low-cost care was particularly high for Pacific people, but also higher for Maori and Asian people compared to Other/New Zealand European ethnicities. Area-level deprivation was a stronger predictor of access to low-cost care for non-Maori than for Maori. Although Maori were more likely than non-Maori to access low-cost care at all levels of deprivation, this was less evident in more deprived compared to more affluent areas. Given ongoing reported inequity for Maori being less able to afford primary health care, we suggest that future policies to improve access should be fully aligned with the articles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and should focus on equity.