Health Minister Tony Ryall is warning district health boards to expect a similar level of Government funding next year.
Mr Ryall told senior doctors at their annual conference in Wellington on Thursday money will continue to be tight.
He says DHBs are about to receive indicative, or probable, funding levels ahead of the Budget next year.
Mr Ryall says there will be more money for health, but not much more.
He says investment in health has kept pace with inflation and population change, in stark contracts to other countries - such as Britain, Italy, Ireland, Spain and Canada, which are cutting health funding.
Senior hospital doctors asked Mr Ryall, among other things, why the Government had not been tougher on alcohol.
He said the Government was not soft on alcohol but wanted more time to study research.
