11 August 2025
New survey reveals Kiwi women face lifetime healthcare penalty of $15,000+
It’s the price women quietly pay for simply existing in a female body - and it’s adding up. A new nationwide survey of more than 1,300 women has revealed the staggering cost of gender-specific healthcare in Aotearoa, with nearly half expecting to spend more than $15,000 over their lifetime. For many, that means facing impossible choices between staying well and staying afloat.
The survey, conducted by digi-physical healthcare provider Tend in June 2025 specifically for Te Wiki Hauora Wāhine, uncovers a healthcare system where wāhine pay a significant "gender tax" averaging over $600 annually in hidden costs alone - expenses that discretely compound into a lifetime of financial disadvantage through direct costs, career impacts and systemic barriers.
"This Women’s Health Week, we’re shining a light on the true cost of being born female," says Tend Co-CEO Cecilia Robinson. "And it’s not just the cost of tampons - it’s a hefty, lifelong price tag that too often goes unacknowledged."
"When nearly 70% of women are delaying care because they can’t afford it, and over 40% feel their health concerns are dismissed by providers, it’s clear we need to do better. It’s time to recognise the reality, respond with compassion, and work together for meaningful change."
The four pillars of women's healthcare costs
1. Direct financial burden: A lifetime of expenses
The survey reveals that nearly half (49.6%) of women expect to spend over $15,000 on women's health throughout their lives, with 18.2% anticipating costs exceeding $50,000. Alarmingly, 31.4% had never considered this cumulative cost before taking the survey – a sign of how normalised and invisible these ongoing expenses have become in both personal budgets and public policy.
"These aren’t luxury items - they’re essentials,” says Robinson. “We’re talking about period products, contraception, menopause care - the basics of women’s healthcare. It’s time we had a system that sees them that way and steps up to support women properly."
2. Hidden costs: The expenses nobody talks about
Beyond direct medical expenses, 57% of women reported spending over $300 in a single year on “hidden” health-related costs - with the average woman outlaying around $600 annually. These often-overlooked expenses include pain relief products, specialised clothing to manage body changes (like bloating or breast tenderness), mental health support and childcare during medical appointments.
These aren’t just add-ons - they’re the quiet, constant costs that pile up simply because of how a woman’s body works. And for many, they’re non-negotiable just to get through the day.
The burden falls heaviest on Māori and Pacific women, with 69% of Māori women and 66% of Pacific women making financial sacrifices for healthcare, compared to 59% overall, highlighting the urgent need for equitable solutions.
3. Career impact: The motherhood penalty and beyond
The workplace toll is undeniable. More than three-quarters (76.8%) of women missed work or study in the past year due to women’s health issues, with 25.1% missing six or more days. The financial hit runs deep - 35% reported losing between $1,000 and $10,000 in income annually.
And then there’s the stigma. Nearly half (48.8%) of women aged 18–29 either work through illness or take sick leave without disclosing the real reason. Of those, 38.4% feel too embarrassed to explain, and 33.1% turn up to work despite being unwell.
The motherhood penalty is real. One mother's experience captures the impossible choices many face: "The money we lose when we have babies and take time off for parental leave or put them in daycare. We've got partners and other kids and whānau relying on us for financial support, but have to choose between this and our babies, even when we earn well, because housing and other living costs are just that expensive."
4. Healthcare access barriers: Supporting women's voices
Finally - and perhaps most concerning - is that 44.3% of women have had health concerns dismissed by healthcare providers, only to later discover those issues were significant. For Māori women, this rises to a staggering 59%, compounding both health risks and financial strain as many are forced to seek multiple opinions and alternative treatments.
As one respondent put it: "The cost of finding relief for common women’s health issues is so high because we’re often not taken seriously. We end up paying for multiple doctors, specialists, allied health professionals or even alternative medicine - just to be heard and find something that works."
The survey also shows that 68.1% of women have delayed or avoided healthcare due to cost, with GP visits (51.6%) being the most commonly skipped - perhaps a sobering reminder that cost is not just a barrier to care, but to being believed and treated in the first place.
Creating positive change together
This research comes at a pivotal moment, as Aotearoa grapples with primary healthcare reform. Tend, now operating as its own Primary Health Organisation, is using these insights to push for compassionate, systemic change that better reflects the needs of half the population.
"These findings aren't meant to blame anyone – they're a wake up call for all of us," says Robinson. "We have a real opportunity to create a healthcare system that truly serves everyone. From funded menopause treatments to workplace policies that support women's health, we can build a more equitable future together."
And the cost is real – we’ve felt it first-hand,” she continues. “When we offered free cervical screening for Women’s Health Week, we emailed all due and overdue patients – and within hours, almost every single appointment was booked. That’s the power of removing cost. It speaks volumes about the level of unmet need and how financial barriers are standing between women and essential care.”
When asked what would make the biggest difference, women called for practical, achievable solutions:
- Free or subsidised period products and contraception
(Scotland led the way, enshrining the right to free period products in 2021 - with universal access now available in schools, public buildings, and community spaces.) - Extended paid parental leave for all parents
- Specific workplace leave for menstrual and menopause health
- Better education for healthcare providers on women’s health
- Improved access to specialists and shorter wait times
“At Tend, we believe in the power of connected care,” Robinson concludes. “This research gives us a clear direction. By coming together - as healthcare providers, employers, policymakers and communities - we can make sure no woman is forced to choose between her health and her financial security.
This Women’s Health Week, let’s commit to building a future where healthcare works for everyone - and where being born female doesn’t come at a cost.”