Labour says it will make maternity scans free if it wins the next election. Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall confirmed that at least two scans would be covered, according to RNZ.

Right now, pregnant women in New Zealand pay for routine ultrasound scans out of their own pocket. Labour wants to change that as part of a health plan called Medicard. The party's announcement says free scans would help with the cost of having a baby.

Mediacard includes other free health services too. In November 2025, Labour announced three free GP visits per year and free cervical screening, according to the Labour Party website. Free maternity scans were announced on 16 June 2026.

The two scans Labour wants to cover are the ones most pregnant women get — a dating scan around 12 weeks and a scan to check the baby's development around 20 weeks. The "at least two" means Labour might cover more scans later on, though it hasn't said yet whether that would include later pregnancy scans.

Labour is grouping all these health promises together under one name, Medicard. It's a way of showing voters that the party is committed to making healthcare cheaper.

One thing Labour hasn't done yet is say how much all of this will cost. The party has not released full numbers for Medicard, and the way Labour has announced the different parts — GP visits one month, scans another — suggests the plan is still being worked on rather than finished. This is something opposition parties and commentators are likely to ask about as the election gets closer.