Medical Assurance Society (MAS) has expanded its Preventative Health Benefit Programme to include reimbursed breast and bowel screening for eligible members and employees who fall below New Zealand’s publicly funded screening age thresholds.
The programme, first launched in late 2023 with mammogram reimbursements for members aged 40 to 44, was broadened in 2024 to add bowel screening support and extend access to staff. Under the current settings, eligible members can claim up to $300 for a mammogram and $140 for a bowel screening test, with entitlements varying by age and product type. The same reimbursement limits apply to eligible MAS employees.
MAS said the wider programme is intended to enable earlier detection of cancer in groups that are not yet eligible for publicly funded screening and to influence how it manages morbidity risk across its life and disability portfolio.
The decision to widen the benefits followed analysis of breast cancer claims under MAS’s Recovery and Disability Income policies. More than one-third of those claims relate to members diagnosed before age 45, a cohort that sits outside the current publicly funded breast screening age range.
MAS chief executive Jo McCauley said the data pointed to both incidence and timing of detection in younger women. “Our data was showing that not only were cancers more common in this younger group, but they were also typically more aggressive and diagnosed later, leading to more intensive treatment, longer recovery times, and higher costs. Yet, under New Zealand’s public health system, breast cancer screening is not funded until age 45 – despite clinical advice recommending earlier screening,” she said.
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McCauley added that the experience led MAS to add benefits aimed at earlier detection, rather than relying solely on post-diagnosis support. “We couldn’t ignore what the data was telling us. Too many of our members were being diagnosed late, and often with more complex and harder to treat cancers. We saw a clear opportunity to step in early, improve health outcomes, and truly live our purpose of enhancing the financial health and wellbeing of our members – long before a claim is ever made,” she said.
MAS has cited an employee case in which use of the screening benefit was followed by earlier detection and less intensive treatment. Staff member Celesté Houwniet, then 43 and with no known family history of breast cancer, elected to use the reimbursed mammogram benefit because the process was straightforward through her employer. The initial mammogram in late 2023 did not show cancer. However, she said the experience increased her awareness of breast changes and prompted her to seek medical advice quickly when she later observed a change in one breast. Houwniet said: “That early scan – and the awareness it created – is the reason I acted quickly when something didn’t feel right. Catching the cancer early meant I could avoid far more invasive treatment. Early diagnosis doesn’t just save lives; it changes the whole treatment journey.”
According to MAS, 14% of eligible members and 27% of employees participated in the programme in its first full year. The mutual said it expects that earlier detection may contribute to shorter treatment durations and lower long-term life and disability claim costs, particularly for younger cohorts. McCauley said: “This is about redefining what insurance stands for. We’re showing that proactive, preventative care is not only possible – it’s essential. And it’s good for everyone: for members and their whānau.”
The prevention initiative comes as MAS reports its FY25 financial results. In its annual report for the year ended March 31, 2025, MAS reported profit of $56 million. The life and disability portfolio generated $56.8 million in revenue in FY25, up $6.1 million year-on-year. MAS paid $22.6 million in life and disability claims over the same period. The extension of bowel screening reimbursements, alongside the existing mammogram benefit, is part of MAS’s approach to managing morbidity risk within this portfolio. By targeting members and staff who are below public screening ages, the mutual is aiming to address a screening gap that its claims data suggests is material for future incidence and cost patterns.
