Treatment costs

Understanding costs of your treatment

Our Commitment to You 

Our team is committed to providing you with exceptional care. 

We know that financing medical treatment and understanding the costs can be stressful. After your initial consultation with your consulting doctor you will receive a letter with a cost estimate for your specific treatment plan, and options if applicable. 

The following information is provided as an introduction to the costs involved in treatment. It does not take the place of talking through the complexities of a treatment plan with one of our team. If you have any questions about the cost estimate when you receive it, please contact either our Accounts team or our Clinical team depending on the nature of your query.

Accounts team: 09 220 3333, ext. 5000 | Clinical team: 021 0817 4833.

Understanding the Costs 

Costs vary depending on the type of treatment – whether it is oral (pills) or infusions (intravenous), or a combination of both – and how many cycles of treatment are prescribed.

We use a system called “bands” to determine the cost we charge for each treatment cycle. Each treatment band has a set cost associated with it which reflects the time, resources, and intensity of your treatment. Pharmaceutical governing bodies in New Zealand classify treatments as low, moderate, or high intensity, based on the risk of reaction and potential side-effects that each drug carries. The intensity of the treatment will impact the time each treatment takes as well as the frequency and type of monitoring that is required during treatment. The more complex a treatment is, the higher the band and associated cost.  

While the band system helps standardise costs, your care is always personalised. If you have co-morbidities (and/or other health conditions that add complexity to your treatment), your treatment may be placed in a higher band. This “up-banding” reflects the extra specialised care needed to manage your overall health effectively during cancer treatment. Please note that consultation fees are additional to, and not included in, the cost of the treatment band.

We on-charge the cost of drugs and compounding fees to you at the cost charged to us by suppliers. The compounding fee is the cost of preparing your customised medication, and typically covers the cost of the pharmacist’s time, specialised equipment, and any additional ingredients required to create your compounded medication. Please note that suppliers may alter their pricing at any time, meaning that the cost estimates we have provided for these costs may no longer be accurate.

Some pharmaceutical suppliers have cost-share programmes for certain drugs, which help you to pay for certain medicines. Our pharmacy team identifies any programmes you are eligible for and applies on your behalf for access to the programme. Details of programmes that you are eligible for, and have been accepted into, together with the related cost savings, are reflected in your cost estimate letter.

Due to the nature of Oncology, treatment plans can change. This may affect your costs when compared to your original estimate.

Consultation Fees

Your cost estimate will include the cost of meeting with your consulting doctor and other medical specialists. The cost of the consultations is dependent on the complexity of the treatment being considered, as well as the time each appointment takes. A First Specialist Appointment (FSA) takes longer than other consultations, as the consulting doctor needs to assess the patient’s medical history and develop a suggested treatment plan. Other consultations that were not planned for when your original estimate of costs was issued, including follow-up consultations and acute & telehealth consultations, will also be charged for.

Wellness Service Fees

Recent evidence has shown that cancer therapy is enhanced by the addition of exercise, dietary advice, massage, and psychology. These consultations may be part or fully funded by insurance, depending on each individual’s insurance plan, and will be applied for at the time of each consultation. Note that not all insurers cover wellness services in which case these service fees will need to be self-funded.

Liaison with health insurers 

Each health insurer has specific requirements regarding approval and funding of care. Until a final or pre-approval is issued by your insurer, we are unable to advise the exact amount of treatment costs that your insurer will cover. While we can assist you to obtain insurance approval for treatment costs, for privacy reasons we are unable to act on your behalf with insurers. It is the responsibility of the insured person to liaise directly with their insurer, or insurance broker, and to understand and stay informed of their policy inclusions / exclusions, member benefit coverage, policy anniversary date, and any co-payments, excesses, and payment limits that may apply.

We are an Affiliated Provider to Southern Cross Health Insurance for selected services. We also have relationships for direct billing with Accuro, AIA, NIB, Partners Life, Unimed, ACC and other insurers.

What to look for in your insurance policy:

• Cover for chemotherapy/ immunotherapy/hormone treatment
• Cover for health consultations
• Any co-payments or excess fees that may apply
• Funding exclusions for medicines not approved by Medsafe or funded by Pharmac
• Cover for diagnostic testing
• The limit on your benefit
• The policy anniversary date
  

We accept direct credit, MasterCard, Visa, and Eftpos.
For more information email accounts@harbourcancer.co.nz or visit www.harbourcancer.co.nz 

Invoicing for treatment

Our Cost Estimate Letter details your treatment plan, estimated costs, payment terms, and other terms and conditions.

Keeping your account safe

Cybercrime is on the rise globally. Your safety is our priority: We’ll never change our bank account details without speaking to you personally, and we’ll never send you a link asking for your bank account details. If any emails or calls seem suspicious, call us directly to check.