But it’s not a list we’re boasting about! Along with our Australian mates across the ditch, we have the highest melanoma rate, of any population in the world!
So here we are in Melanoma March – and Melanoma New Zealand is focusing on getting kiwis to be proactive in looking out for the early stages of this deadly skin cancer.
Melanoma New Zealand has teamed up with our Olympic and America’s Cup sailors to raise awareness for melanoma, which is a real risk for New Zealanders (that ozone layer isn’t helping matters).
Recently, the media has honed in on melanoma treatments, and specifically, why the drug Keytruda is not funded by PHARMAC. The argument goes, if Keytruda is more effective, why are we not funding it? There is uncertainty about the size and duration of any benefit, along with what PHARMAC is describing as the drug’s ‘extremely high cost.’ So it seems obvious that it won’t be funded anytime soon, despite the 54,000 signatures that have been collected on various petitions.
So how can the general public get access to this drug? Medical insurance, of course! Medical insurers nowadays have policies that include access to non-PHARMAC funded medicines. This means that you’re going to get access to Keytruda and the countless other treatments that are proven to be effective, yet aren’t funded due to the high treatment costs.
Medical insurance is vital and with medical insurers paying out over $1,000,000,000 last year, you know it pays.
Our health is so important, and if you have medical insurance, you get access to tools that can complement your health journey.
Give us a call at WealthDesign to discover how medical insurance will give you peace of mind, when it comes to your health.
And if you feel like donating to Melanoma New Zealand, text MELANOMA to 5464 – it’s a great cause!
Wilson O’Fee
WealthDesign – a life well lived