First One-off Payments Offered
The first one-off payments have been offered to people infected with hepatitis C through the New Zealand blood supply as part of a $30 million package announced by Health Minister Pete Hodgson late last year.
To date, about 265 people have applied for a one-off payment. Letters are being sent to all those who have applied, informing them of their eligibility for payment, and if appropriate, the amount they are eligible for. Some people will have received their letter already and other people can expect to receive their letter soon. The letters set out what steps people need to take next to accept any payment offered.
"This is a major step forward for the small minority of people who were infected through the New Zealand blood supply before screening began in 1992, ‘’ says Dr Colin Feek, Deputy Director General Clinical Services.
"I am pleased that this group of people will now know whether they are eligible for a one-off payment and if so, what that offered payment will be.''
A major component of the $30 million package announced in December last year is an additional $5 million per year to be invested to improve access to, and uptake of, hepatitis C treatment services. An advisory group has been established to assist the Ministry of Health and District Health boards improve hepatitis C treatment services to all people with hepatitis C, who are entitled to publicly funded health services.
The advisory group met for the first time this month and will meet a number of times throughout the year.
The advisory group members are Ed Gane, a hepatologist at the Liver Transplant Unit in Auckland (chair); Nigel Stace, gastroenterologist at Capital and Coast District Health Board; Tony Farrell, GP from Mt Maunganui; Ken Couper, GP from Hamilton; Margaret Fraser, hepatitis specialist nurse at Otago District Health Board; Robyn Brown, Hepatitis C Resource Centre in Auckland;Steve Waring, Haemophilia Foundation of New Zealand and Penny Pere, Ambulatory Services Manager, Hawkes Bay District Health Board.
"I am thrilled that this group has met and work is underway to improve treatment services for the estimated 30,000 New Zealanders living with hepatitis C,'' Dr Feek says.
"At the same time I want to reinforce that today New Zealand's blood supply is regarded as one of the safest in the world.''
The one-off payment is available to people who:
Have been infected in New Zealand with the hepatitis C virus through blood or blood products where the blood was collected in New Zealand before 27 July 1992.
Continue to test positive for the presence of the virus in their blood or have a record of a treatment which has successfully cleared the virus.
Choose to put their details forward so an amount can be calculated for them, choose to accept any calculated amount offered and then enter into a payment agreement with the Crown.
The maximum amount people are eligible for is $69,620.43 but not all eligible people will receive that amount. Some people might receive a lower payment or no payment, especially when they have already received previous payments from ACC, from the government, or from other countries.
All people who choose to accept the calculated amount on offer will receive a statement of acknowledgement from the Prime Minister on behalf of the New Zealand Government.
Anyone who has not already applied and thinks they may be eligible for a one-off payment can call 0800 689 001 for further information, including detailed eligibility criteria, and the steps they will need to take to submit information for assessment.
For more background information please go to: www.beehive.govt.nz/ViewDocument.aspx?DocumentID=27954
To date, about 265 people have applied for a one-off payment. Letters are being sent to all those who have applied, informing them of their eligibility for payment, and if appropriate, the amount they are eligible for. Some people will have received their letter already and other people can expect to receive their letter soon. The letters set out what steps people need to take next to accept any payment offered.
"This is a major step forward for the small minority of people who were infected through the New Zealand blood supply before screening began in 1992, ‘’ says Dr Colin Feek, Deputy Director General Clinical Services.
"I am pleased that this group of people will now know whether they are eligible for a one-off payment and if so, what that offered payment will be.''
A major component of the $30 million package announced in December last year is an additional $5 million per year to be invested to improve access to, and uptake of, hepatitis C treatment services. An advisory group has been established to assist the Ministry of Health and District Health boards improve hepatitis C treatment services to all people with hepatitis C, who are entitled to publicly funded health services.
The advisory group met for the first time this month and will meet a number of times throughout the year.
The advisory group members are Ed Gane, a hepatologist at the Liver Transplant Unit in Auckland (chair); Nigel Stace, gastroenterologist at Capital and Coast District Health Board; Tony Farrell, GP from Mt Maunganui; Ken Couper, GP from Hamilton; Margaret Fraser, hepatitis specialist nurse at Otago District Health Board; Robyn Brown, Hepatitis C Resource Centre in Auckland;Steve Waring, Haemophilia Foundation of New Zealand and Penny Pere, Ambulatory Services Manager, Hawkes Bay District Health Board.
"I am thrilled that this group has met and work is underway to improve treatment services for the estimated 30,000 New Zealanders living with hepatitis C,'' Dr Feek says.
"At the same time I want to reinforce that today New Zealand's blood supply is regarded as one of the safest in the world.''
The one-off payment is available to people who:
Have been infected in New Zealand with the hepatitis C virus through blood or blood products where the blood was collected in New Zealand before 27 July 1992.
Continue to test positive for the presence of the virus in their blood or have a record of a treatment which has successfully cleared the virus.
Choose to put their details forward so an amount can be calculated for them, choose to accept any calculated amount offered and then enter into a payment agreement with the Crown.
The maximum amount people are eligible for is $69,620.43 but not all eligible people will receive that amount. Some people might receive a lower payment or no payment, especially when they have already received previous payments from ACC, from the government, or from other countries.
All people who choose to accept the calculated amount on offer will receive a statement of acknowledgement from the Prime Minister on behalf of the New Zealand Government.
Anyone who has not already applied and thinks they may be eligible for a one-off payment can call 0800 689 001 for further information, including detailed eligibility criteria, and the steps they will need to take to submit information for assessment.
For more background information please go to: www.beehive.govt.nz/ViewDocument.aspx?DocumentID=27954