Proposed ACC changes for
Hearing Loss Claims

As you are probably aware, ACC is looking at making quite radical changes to how they interpret and implement compensation for those with hearing loss. They have now revealed how they wish to change the legislation, and have offered impacted parties (including people who have a hearing loss covered by ACC) to provide feedback on a consultation document.

The changes that they are looking at would affect to both existing hearing loss claims, and new.

"Did you know in June this year ACC is considering abandoning 53,473 disabled New Zealanders...".

Click here to read more:
Abandoned by ACC
Proposed ACC Regulations on noise-induced hearing loss

The changes that you might feel concerned about include:

• ACC is suggesting that if your hearing loss is partially from an ageing process, and partially from noise exposure, that they will only pay their portion of your compensation. The issues we think need to be considered are:

• Will this limit access to compensation for those who are unable to pay their portion? Is this discriminatory to those of a lower socioeconomic status?


• Does ACC have an accurate method for separating out the different causes of hearing loss?


• If a person had a hearing loss from ageing alone, would they need hearing aids? Or is it the portion of hearing loss that comes from their work environment that tips the scales, and causes intervention to become necessary?


• As a claimant gets older, ACC have decided that their responsibility will decrease (they mean that this person would have a hearing loss anyway), so the proportion of hearing loss that ACC covers will decrease as a person ages. Is this appropriate? Or discriminatory to the older person even?

• ACC previously provided the hearing aids and services that the audiologist recommended, based upon the claimants needs. With the new proposal, ACC will make capped contributions to hearing aids (even if a client has very high hearing needs), and services. For example:

• ACC will only pay up to $2,000 (wholesale) for a hearing aid, even if it can be demonstrated that the client clearly requires hearing aids with better technology.


• ACC will only consider replacing a hearing aid once it is six years old, even if it no longer continues to meet the claimants needs.


• ACC will only pay up to $200 for a repair on a hearing aid. And if the hearing aid breaks down again within two years, they won’t pay for a further repair, that cost will fall to the claimant.


• Audiologists recommend annual review of hearing and hearing aids for all people who wear hearing aids. ACC have made no recommendations about whether they will pay for this annual review – it appears that they will contribute to this once every six years.


• With the reduced quality of products, and services, is the claimant going to be as satisfied with their hearing aids (and compensated for their hearing loss)? And if not, has ACC wasted money in delivering a sub-standard compensation?

In summary, ACC won’t pay for the delivery of the same level of products or services we currently provide to our ACC claimants. We feel the services we provide to both our ACC claimants, and our self-paying clients is very high, but if these changes go ahead, it appears that ACC claimants will receive a lesser access to our services than our other clients. And ACC will prohibit their claimants from purchasing additional services themselves, should they wish to.

But don’t take our word for it – read it for yourself! This is a lengthy document, and there may be more items that concern you, we have tried to point out the main ones for you to consider.

We highly recommend that you read this document to keep informed.

Please view it via the following link:
http://www.dol.govt.nz/consultation/nihl/index.asp