In-Touch with Keystone : August 2021
Welcome to the the August edition of In-Touch
I hope you are keeping well after a particularly wet and chilly July.
Even though we've been COVID-free, this winter has seen a huge surge in respiratory illnesses, especially compared to last year, when lockdown prevented many of the usual coughs and sniffles. I'm looking forward to the longer, sunnier days of spring that are not too far away!
In the meantime, please grab yourself a hot drink and a comfortable chair and check out this month's newsletter, which contains some very important information.
A focus on Health Insurance
In this issue of In-Touch, we're taking a look at public hospital waiting lists here in New Zealand. I highly recommend reading this NZ Herald article. It's a story about one man's medical treatment and how he avoided waiting several weeks for vital, much-needed surgery.
Bruce Munro: Disgraceful waiting list for elective surgeries at public hospitals
I'd also like to share some information with you about actual waiting times for various procedures being performed under the Counties-Manukau DHB (as an example).
Counties Manukau Heath Waiting List
You will see that even for urgent procedures, waiting times prevail, and for some procedures, the wait is several weeks. What the lists don't tell us is how many people needing treatment or surgery haven't even managed to make it onto the list, making their wait extremely long.
And finally, this article from one of our insurance providers (Partners Life) examines the difference between the drugs that are funded by PHARMAC and those that aren't. It is vital information to have and understand, as it could impact your treatment options if you ever need these kinds of medication.
PHARMAC & Non-PHARMAC… That is the question
There's a lot of information to digest here. If it has raised any questions that you'd like to discuss further, please reach out and make contact with me directly. We can talk about your options for Private Health Insurance to help you avoid the problems highlighted in the above articles.
How can Health Insurance help you?
These two short videos explain the benefits of Health Insurance and how it differs from what is offered by New Zealand's public healthcare system.
Recipe of the Month
This recipe looked so good I had to try it - and it was mouth-watering! Chicken is a great, lean source of protein, and kale stems are packed with vitamins, fibre, and nutrients.
Try Luke Hines' gorgeous green chicken cakes.
Health and wellbeing events
Awareness is the key to disease prevention and an important factor in raising money for research into major conditions. If you're keen to improve your wellbeing or participate in a good cause, here are some health-focused events coming up over the next couple of months.
The Cancer Society's annual Daffodil Day appeal is coming on August 27th. All money raised goes towards cancer care for patients and their families, awareness programmes, and vital research. Visit the website to donate online or explore ways to fundraise and volunteer in your area.
September 1st is Random Acts of Kindness Day. Become a RAKtivist and help to raise New Zealand's "kindness temperature". The RAK website has some great ideas for acts of kindness that you can perform at school, at work, or in your community.
Are you ready to step up? Breathe Better September, run by The Asthma & Respiratory Foundation, helps to raise awareness and funds for people living with breathing difficulties. You can sign up as a Better Breathing Hero and set yourself a sponsored challenge.
The Prostate Cancer Foundation NZ's Blue September campaign aims to raise money to help with research, awareness education, and healthcare advocacy for Kiwis who have been diagnosed with (or are at risk of developing) prostate cancer. Hold a "blue do", donate online, or purchase sponsored products to help with the fundraising.
Thanks for reading
Thanks for reading this issue of In-Touch. If you have any questions about something you've read or you'd like some advice on personal insurance, feel free to contact Keystone using the details below.