A KS
[FYI request #18742 email]
Ref: DOIA 2122-1721
Dear A KS,
Thank you for your email of 1 March 2022 requesting under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), the
following information:
“1:- Is there any ongoing work for reviewing this threshold as it has not changed since 9 years .It
was 25,000 NZD before 26/11/2012 when it was changed to 41,000 NZD. Can you provide any
documentation regarding the review of this threshold since 2020?
2:-If a review is ongoing, when it is expected to be completed and threshold updated?
3:-If there is no ongoing work, can you tel is there a plan for 2022 or later to get this reviewed by
INZ health team?”
Our Response
In your request you referenced a letter sent by the former Minister of Immigration dated 11 March 2020,
which stated that Immigration New Zealand (INZ) would be working with the Ministry of Health (MoH) to
review the $41,000 threshold for high-cost health conditions in the latter half of 2020. Since this date, the
MoH has increased its focus on the response to COVID-19 and supporting the health sector to manage the
virus in the community. The high-cost health condition review requires significant data collection, health
expertise and analysis, and will need to source information from District Health Boards regarding costs,
patient data and health services, and to source other information such as pharmaceutical data. INZ and the
MoH are required to work together to progress the review, however, progress has been limited due to the
availability of resources given the current environment.
The responses to your specific questions are below:
1. Is there any ongoing work for reviewing this threshold as it has not changed since 9 years. It was 25,000
NZD before 26/11/2012 when it was changed to 41,000 NZD. Can you provide any documentation
regarding the review of this threshold since 2020?
In 2020, INZ and the MoH began work to review the INZ list of medical conditions which are deemed likely
to impose significant costs and/or demands on New Zealand’s health services and/or special education
services. The current list can be found here: Operational Manual - Immigration New Zealand. Issue Date:
21 February 2022Operational Manual - Immigration New Zealand. Issue Date: 22 August 2016
The medical conditions on this list are conditions which have been determined as being likely to impose
costs exceeding the threshold of $41,000. The threshold of $41,000 is subject to review – the review of the
list and the threshold are interdependent and this work has been delayed due to the circumstances
described above. One area of review that has been completed was the review of the inclusion of Human
Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection on the list of medical conditions. HIV was subsequently removed
from the list in October 2021.
2. If a review is ongoing, when it is expected to be completed and threshold updated?
INZ is unable to confirm a timeframe for completion of a review of the threshold at this time. The review of
the threshold and the list of medical conditions is substantive work and is currently progressing as resources
and competing demands al ow.
3. If there is no ongoing work, can you tel is there a plan for 2022 or later to get this reviewed by INZ
health team?
INZ and the MoH recognise the importance of this work. INZ is actively pursuing this, and further progress
is expected on the review once there is capacity to provide the data and expertise required.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision. Information
about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request or this response, please contact [email address]
Yours sincerely,
Stephan Dunstan
General Manager Enablement
Immigration New Zealand
