From July 1st 2024 funded medicine prescriptions will have a $5 charge (non-funded medicine prescriptions will have additional charges).

Prescriptions for fully funded medicines are free for people:

• aged 13 years or under
• aged 65 years and older
• of any age that have a community services card (CSC) and their dependent children (14-17 years old).
• that hold a Prescription Subsidy Card (PSC).

If your prescription is from a non-publicly funded prescriber such as a dentist or a private specialist there is a $15 co-payment.

If your medication is not fully funded or subsidised, there may be an additional cost.

Once you and your family / whānau have collected 20 new prescription items in a year, you can get a Prescription Subsidy Card, which means you won’t have to pay any more prescription charges until 1 February the following year (the year starts February 1st and ends January 31st ).

Pharmacies may charge for extra services such as special packaging. To confirm costs, please speak to the pharmacy. 

View the Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora website for more detailed information on prescription costs.