Another highlight for Dr Reti in his time as health minister was extending the breast cancer screening age from 70 to 74. But in his speech, Dr Reti revealed some of the last-minute negotiations that were involved in the policy, which was announced in 2024.
He described how he realised there was a problem with the policy on the morning of the announcement, after a conversation with a Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora official. Dr Reti was told that every year the age of eligibility would increase by one year, so in four years, the extension would be complete.
“What about those who are already between 70 and 74, I asked. ‘No, there is nothing for them, people will age in, that was the hole,’” the official said.
“I had promised New Zealand woman that there would be something for everyone between age 70 to 74.”
The official told him they had modelling work on a final screening age of 74, but it would cost $20 million to fund it.
“I landed in Auckland at 7am and called Lester Levy. ‘Lester, there’s a policy hole and we need to fix it and it will cost $20 million’.’’
“I landed in Wellington an hour later and I get a call from [Te Whatu Ora chief executive] Margie Apa: ‘Minister, we have the modelling, we can deliver those extra screens and we can look to do it within baseline’.”