Hato Hone St John ambulance part charge to increase

This increase is required to keep up with the rising cost of running the emergency ambulance service.  

Hato Hone St John has experienced significant and sustained growth in demand for emergency ambulance services over the last decade.  

The part charge increase is expected to generate additional revenue annually – and contribute towards supporting and sustaining the high-quality services our communities rely on. 

When considering the part charge increase, we conducted market research to carefully consider the potential effect, especially given the wider impact of cost-of-living increases on New Zealand households, whilst acknowledging that the part charge has not changed in over seven years. 

The actual cost of an ambulance attendance is over $1,000 including GST. The new part charge of $125 better reflects the actual cost of service delivery, while remaining within a range that public feedback indicated was fair and manageable.  

The part charge applies only to a subset of patients: those who receive an ambulance attendance for a medical emergency and those whose accident-related injuries occurred more than 24 hours prior to the ambulance callout. It is akin to other co-payments in the health sector, including GP visits, family planning, dental, and orthotic services. 

Existing subscribers to Hato Hone St John’s Ambulance Membership, will continue to have all part charges covered for a year under its provisions, which helps members overcome unexpected costs. Read more about Ambulance Membership here.