Record $1.14 billion paid in health insurance claims

There's been a surge of people taking out health insurance, and it's not been driven by the sale of bargain basement "minor medical" policies targeted at the young.

The Health Funds Association says 20,000 people took out health cover last year, the strongest growth in a decade, taking the number of Kiwis covered to 1.36 million.

But the demand was not for the minor medical policies which cover little more than cover GP visits, and other day-to-day expenses, said Health Funds' chief executive Roger Styles.

Instead, the policies Kiwis wanted were "major medical" policies that give people access to elective surgery without having to go onto the state health system's waiting lists.

from
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/89349825/Record-1-14-billion-paid-in-health-insurance-claims