The Health Funding Authority, now defunct, was a New Zealand government entity responsible for funding of public health care in New Zealand between 1997 and 2001.

History

It was formed through the merger of the four Regional Health Authorities (RHAs) as part of the coalition agreement between the

New Zealand National Party The New Zealand National Party (), often shortened to National () or the Nats, is a Centre-right politics, centre-right List of political parties in New Zealand, political party in New Zealand that is the current senior ruling party. It is one ...

and

New Zealand First New Zealand First (), commonly abbreviated to NZ First or NZF, is a political party in New Zealand, founded and led by Winston Peters, who has served three times as Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand, deputy prime minister. The party has form ...

following the 1996 general election. The premise was that having a separate purchaser could provide greater efficiency within the health system. Following the 1999 General Election the new government, left wing

New Zealand Labour Party The New Zealand Labour Party, also known simply as Labour (), is a Centre-left politics, centre-left political party in New Zealand. The party's platform programme describes its founding principle as democratic socialism, while observers descri ...

-led coalition set about changing the health system once more; in part due to low public confidence in the health system since the quasi-market reforms attempted earlier in the decade by the previous

National Party National Party or Nationalist Party may refer to: Active parties * National Party of Australia, commonly known as ''The Nationals'' * Bangladesh: ** Bangladesh Nationalist Party ** Jatiya Party (Ershad) a.k.a. ''National Party (Ershad)'' * Californ ...

government. The HFA was forcibly dissolved by an Act of Parliament, with its purchasing roles picked up by the Ministry of Health and the

District Health Boards District health boards (DHBs) in New Zealand were organisations established by the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000 under the Fifth Labour Government, responsible for ensuring the provision of health and disability services to ...

(DHB) as part of the new Primary Care Strategy outlined in Labour's 1999 election campaign. In January the DHBs came into existence and the HFA functions were absorbed by them and Minister of Health.

References

1997 establishments in New Zealand Medical and health organisations based in New Zealand Government agencies of New Zealand Defunct organisations based in New Zealand 2001 disestablishments in New Zealand {{NewZealand-gov-stub