Who is Eligible for Free or Subsidised Maternity Care?

 

 

• Women are eligible for publicly funded maternity care in their own right if they are a:
   

                   - New Zealand citizen (including Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau)

                   - New Zealand resident (holder of a resident visa or permanent
                      residence)

                   - Australian citizen or permanent resident with evidence that
                      New Zealand has been / or will be their place of residence for at

                      least two years

                   - New Zealand work visa holder with a length of 2 years or

                     longer

                   - Interim visa holder who were eligible immediately before the interim
                     visa was issued

                   - Woman with refugee or protected person status, including victims

                     of people trafficking

                   - New Zealand Aid Programme student OR Commonwealth
                     Scholarship student OR particpants in the Ministry of Education's
                     Foreign Language Teaching Assistantship Scheme.

 

• Women who do not meet the above eligibility criteria are eligible if:
  
              - their husband, civil union partner or de facto partner is eligible
                (based on the above criteria)
  
                         With the exception of:
                          Partners of Commonwealth Scholarship students or Foreign

                              Language Teaching Assistants (who are ineligible).
                              NB: Partners of the New Zealand Aid Programme students are
                              eligible.
 

• Women from Australia or the United Kingdom who are ineligible for fully subsidised maternity care, are eligible for a limited range of services under Reciprocal Health Agreements. Reciprocal Health Agreements cover immediate and necessary maternity care, including labour and birth, and immediate post-natal services. Routine antenatal and postnatal care is not covered. Other eligibility criteria must be met for fully funded LMC services. Reciprocal Health Agreements do not extend to partners.

 

What happens if I am ineligible?

             

 

• Women who are ineligible for fully funded maternity services are still able to access LMC midwifery care, however charges will apply. Please contact us for further information.

 

 

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