Private health patients costing public system $11.5 million a year 23 Feb, 2021 11:56 PM 4 minutes to read Private health patients are costing New Zealand's public system up to $11.5 million a year, a new study shows. Photo / Getty Images Private health patients are costing New Zealand's public system up to $11.5 million a year, a new study shows. Photo / Getty Images Private health patients are costing New Zealand's public system up to $11.5 million a year, a new study shows. Taxpayers are footing the massive annual bill – which equates to the cost of 760 hip replacements - for patients who need public hospital care after private inpatient treatment, the University of Otago study published in the international journal Health Policy reveals.