With Labour’s Medicard, cervical screening will be free, and every New Zealander gets three free doctor’s visits every year.
Cervical cancer is among the most preventable cancers - yet 85 percent of those diagnosed have never been screened or missed screenings.
Free cervical screening means more on-time screening, earlier diagnosis, lives saved, and less pressure on our hospitals. It also brings cervical screening in line with other nationwide free cancer screening programmes.
How it works:
Free cervical screening for those aged 25–69.
Eligibility automatically loaded onto the Medicard.
Simply scan your Medicard at your local doctor or community screening events.
Free screening is in addition to three free doctor’s visits.
Cost should never be a barrier to care. Under Christopher Luxon, it’s become harder and more expensive to see a doctor. He promised to fix the cost of living, but it’s getting worse - and there’s no plan to fix our health system. It doesn’t have to be this way.
How much will it cost?
Cervical screening for all who need it aged 25-69 will cost $21.6 million starting in the 2027/28 financial year. It will be funded from baseline health funding.
Labour will build a health system that keeps people healthy, not just treats them when they’re sick.
Affordable, reliable healthcare is the foundation on which New Zealanders build their lives. Just as every New Zealander wants the best healthcare for their family, a Labour Government wants the best healthcare for every New Zealander.
