133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
16 November 2020
T+64 4 496 2000
Debbie Leyland
By email: [FYI request #14069 email]
Ref:
H202008041
Dear Ms Leyland
Response to your request for official information
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) on 2 November
2020 for:
“I would like to request the number of people who have a Prescription Subsidy Card
issued by your Ministry.”
From 1 February 2020 to 31 October 2020 there have been 663,702 people (individuals) who
are recorded as having a Prescription Subsidy Card (PSC). The number of PSCs is provided
from 1 February 2020 as PSCs expire on 30 January each year. In each new year (1 February
to 30 January the following year) a new PSC can only be issued after a family unit has paid the
prescription co-payment for 20 new prescription items.
Please note that the Ministry of Health (the Ministry) does not issue PSCs. They are issued by
individual pharmacies when the patient (or their family unit) becomes eligible.
The Ministry only holds PSC data if the numbers are included in the pharmacy claim. This is
when the pharmacy submits a reimbursement claim to the Ministry for payment of the medicines
the pharmacy has dispensed. The Ministry has no record of PSC numbers if the pharmacy does
not include them in the claim. As the PSC number is not a mandatory field, the Ministry’s data
may be incomplete.
More information on the PSC scheme is available on the Ministry’s website at the following link:
https:/ www.health.govt.nz/your-health/conditions-and-treatments/treatments-and-
surgery/medications/prescription-subsidy-scheme.
I trust this information fulfils your request. Under section 28(3) of the Act you have the right to
ask the Ombudsman to review any decisions made under this request.
Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be published on the
Ministry website.
Yours sincerely
Clare Perry
Acting Deputy Director-General
Health System Innovation and Improvement
