Te Whatu Ora has been criticised for telling public hospitals to bring the organisation back to budget, they need to make target savings of $105 million by July.
It said several districts have gone over budget in the past three months.
However, health unions have warned the constraints will impact medical care.
Former Te Whatu Ora chair Rob Campbell says we should be trying to improve our health system - not just saving costs.
"Once you get the emphasis on just saving costs, you end up cutting things that should not be cut."
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.