Cutting down health system backlogs could come with a hefty price tag. 

Meeting planned care targets has been modelled by health officials to cost $723 million over two years. This comes from a briefing to Health Minister Shane Reti, which looked at three proposed targets to bring down wait times for first appointments and treatment.  

Former Health NZ Chair Rob Campbell tells Mike Hosking that staffing is the biggest issue in making up the backlog. 

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