Outrage – targeting on need

Stuff reports:

Māori and Pacific young people in Hawke’s Bay are no longer eligible for free GP and nurse visits based on ethnicity, after the health minister intervened.

The move has been labelled “devastating for the community” by one MP.

Over the weekend, Stuff reported on a recent change to funding for free GP and registered nurse visits in Hawke’s Bay for rangatahi aged 14-24.

Instead of being available for all young people in the region, new criteria were introduced from September 1, making Māori and Pacific, those living in high deprivation, those who hold a Community Services Card, or those with specific long-term health conditions eligible.

But this has again changed, with the Māori and Pacific criteria now dropped from the list, after Health Minister Dr Shane Reti spoke with health officials about the policy on Monday.

So a 23 year old who lives in a high deprivation area or who has a low income or who has chronic health problems will get free GP visits but a 23 year old Maori who lives in a wealthy neighbourhood, who earns a high income and who is is in good health will not get a free GP visit.

It staggers me that so many people are against this!

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