Foreign patients leave $76k bill

Foreign patients have racked up a bill of over $76k at the Lakes DHB.

Foreign patients ineligible for free healthcare racked up bills of more than $75,000 at Lakes District Health Board, latest records show.

Figures released to the Rotorua Daily Post under the Official Information Act, showed 14 patients owed a total of $76,661 in unpaid medical bills as of the end of June last year.

The amount has risen steadily in recent years. At the end of the 2013 financial year, 18 debtors owed just over $74,000. At June 2012, 15 debtors owed more than $45,000.

The Government foots the bill for New Zealanders but foreign patients have to fill out an eligibility form when they turn up at hospitals.

Lakes District Health Board chief executive Ron Dunham said health officials took every step available to collect cash owing from patients.

"Most non-eligible patients carry travel insurance, which is a matter of dealing with the patient and their insurers to claim the cost of treatment back from the insurance company.

"A repayment plan is negotiated with the patients and their families of non-eligible patients who do not carry travel insurance."

If a repayment plan couldn't be organised, the debt was passed on to debt collection agencies, he said. About 10 per cent of bills were written off as bad debt.

Nationally, district health boards write off millions of dollars each year from treating foreign patients.

Patients from some countries were covered under their visa status. Patients from Australia, the United Kingdom Australia, Tokelau, Niue and the Cook Islands have reciprocal agreements. Foreign patients injured in accidents may be covered by ACC.

Ministry of Health spokesman John Hazeldine said district health boards were responsible for recovering any debts.

"The ministry recognises that this is not always possible and compensates DHBs with a higher level of debt write-off through its funding," Mr Hazeldine said.