A coalition of New Zealand health professionals has publicly called on members of Parliament (MPs) to refrain from using private healthcare while serving in office.
The group’s open letter argues that elected officials responsible for shaping the public health system should experience its outcomes firsthand, rather than relying on private alternatives that may shield them from the consequences of their decisions.
The letter recommends that all MPs, as well as the families of Cabinet ministers, should depend solely on the public health system while in office.
Dr. Marcus Lee, a cardiologist from Northland and spokesperson for the group, said the intent is to ensure that leaders are directly affected by the policies they enact.
“Essentially, we want fair and transparent leadership with integrity. We want people who have skin in the game,” he said, as reported by RNZ.
The letter invites MPs to consider whether they would be comfortable with their own family members facing the same wait times and conditions as the general population.
It raises questions about the adequacy of emergency departments, the sufficiency of staffing levels, and the acceptability of waiting periods for medical procedures.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon responded to the letter by stating that having private health insurance does not prevent MPs from understanding the challenges within the public system.
“I think we’re well aware of the challenges in the healthcare system, which is why we’ve put a record amount of investment in,” he said, as reported by RNZ. “We inherited again a botched merger that just created a layer of bureaucracy, and we’ve put the money in, we’re hiring more people, [and] we’ve got clarity on the targets.”
Labour’s health spokesperson, Dr. Ayesha Verrall, commented that MPs who maintain private health insurance may be signalling a lack of confidence in the public system.
“Ministers of Health should place a bet on the public health system succeeding and meeting New Zealanders’ needs. Having private health insurance is a sign that you’re not willing to place that bet,” she said.
Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins said he has held private health insurance for decades but stressed the importance of ensuring all New Zealanders receive adequate care, regardless of insurance status.
“I’m not going to begrudge people who have it, but I want to make sure that if you haven’t, you still get the standard of care you deserve,” he said.
Health Minister Simeon Brown stated he does not have private health insurance but does not believe in mandating this choice for others.
“Ultimately, there’s a large number of New Zealanders who use health insurance; that’s a fantastic part of our health system, and ultimately people make individual choices,” he said.
New Zealand has seen a sharp increase in medical costs, placing it among the highest in the Asia-Pacific region, according to Aon plc’s 2025 Global Medical Trend Rates Report.
The report, which tracked annual changes in employer-sponsored medical plan costs across 112 countries, found that New Zealand’s medical trend rate rose from 7.4% in 2024 to 14.5% in 2025.
