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Labour says it will give every New Zealander three free doctor's visits a year through a new Medicard and remove the $5 prescription fee from 1 July 2027. It will make maternity scans and cervical screening free, help doctors buy into local practices through interest-free loans, guarantee every eligible newly trained nurse a job, introduce an Independent Pricing Authority for GP funding, and repair hospitals through its Start Work Now plan. These health policies are funded by a 28% tax on investment property profits.
“Every New Zealander will get a new Medicard giving access to three free doctor's visits a year at their enrolled practice, funded by a simple, targeted tax on investment property profits.”
“Labour's healthcare policies are funded by a targeted 28% capital gains tax on profit from selling commercial or residential investment property, excluding the family home, farms, KiwiSaver, shares, businesses and inheritances. Every dollar raised is ring-fenced for health”
“Free prescriptions and the Family Doctor Loan Scheme start from 1 July 2027. Free cervical screening starts from 1 October 2027. Free maternity scans start from July 2028.”
Summarised neutrally from Labour’s own official policy (as at 2026-10-23) and checked by an editor. Nothing is paraphrased without the source linked. Read the original ↗ Politika is non-partisan. Compare all parties on Health →
Labour proposes giving every New Zealander three free GP visits a year, claimed with a new Medicard at the practice they are enrolled with. The visits cover a doctor or nurse appointment, do not roll over if unused, and exclude after-hours and ACC care. Alongside it the party would change how general practice is funded, through an Independent Pricing Authority, and fund the package from its proposed capital gains tax.
Labour proposes low-interest loans to help doctors buy into or set up an owner-operated general practice. A loan would cover up to 90 percent of the buy-in cost to a maximum of $500,000, be interest-free for two years and then charge 3 percent, with ten years to repay. Up to 50 would be available a year from 1 July 2027, targeted at communities with no GP clinic or where practices have closed their books.
Labour proposes making cervical screening free for everyone aged 25 to 69 from 1 October 2027. Eligibility would be loaded automatically onto the Medicard and claimed by scanning it at a general practice or a community screening event. The screening would sit on top of the three free doctor’s visits rather than counting against them, and be funded from existing health baselines.
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