Foreigners get $2.09m in treatment from Lakes hospitals, DHB writes off debts
10 Jan, 2021 11:44 PM
7 minutes to read
Foreigners have received just over $204.4 million worth of hospital treatment in the past five years. Photo / Getty Images
Rotorua Daily Post
New Zealand needs to stop being a "soft touch" when it comes to non-residents' unpaid hospital bills, a Rotorua health sector leader says.
Foreigners have received just over $204.4 million worth of hospital treatment in
New Zealand in the past five years, with taxpayers left to foot the bill for about a third of that between July 2015 and June 2020, excluding GST.
That's according to data provided by all bar one of New Zealand's 20 district health boards.