Admission to hospital in New Zealand

When a client has been in a public hospital for more than 13 weeks the New Zealand benefit or pension is reduced to the hospital rate.

Veteran's Pension is the exception and is not reduced if the client is in a public hospital for more than 13 weeks.

The Korean pension is still treated as a direct deduction from the hospital rate of the New Zealand benefit or pension.

International Services receives reports from SWIFTT of clients admitted to hospital. SWIFTT will suspend the New Zealand benefit or pension when a client has been in hospital for 13 weeks and the Korean pension is more than the hospital rate of the New Zealand benefit or pension.

When the client has a partner qualified for New Zealand Superannuation or Veteran's Pension and the rate of a Korean old age benefit is more than the hospital rate of their New Zealand benefit or pension, the excess amount of the Korean old age benefit is not deducted from the other partner's New Zealand Superannuation.

Note clients admitted to private hospitals do not have their benefit or pension reduced to the hospital rate.