ACC hikes = job losses

[mashman]

Was having a discussion with a work mate... she explained that she was having back problems (not booby related) and her physio phoned her a couple of weeks ago to find out if she was coming back for treatment. She was a little stunned to have the physio calling her and came to the conclusion that they are struggling for work...

I read a report a while ago, one of those odd ones that springs up in your search results... it was an audit document (Deloittes i think) that were analysing the costs of physio usage in regards to ACC claims. The upshot of the report was that physios weren't screwing ACC financially.

But having this conversation with my workmate, as well as having 2 other workmates having the rehabilitation costs turned down by ACC, you gotta wonder... will people start losing their jobs through lack of ACC funded work???

[MSTRS:Me]

You don't have to wonder...
Physios will manage, but workers like your friends will end up on sickness benefits. Should be treated through ACC and stay/go back to work, but no longer. If they can't work because of their injury, ACC will (and are!!) saying it's age-related = no compo. All that leaves is the dole (WINZ will say no to that). All that leaves is a sickness benefit of some sort.
Lovely, eh?

[mashman]

You don't have to wonder...
Physios will manage, but workers like your friends will end up on sickness benefits. Should be treated through ACC and stay/go back to work, but no longer. If they can't work because of their injury, ACC will (and are!!) saying it's age-related = no compo. All that leaves is the dole (WINZ will say no to that). All that leaves is a sickness benefit of some sort.
Lovely, eh?

Ugh!!! so the good ole catch 22 still reigns supreme eh... you work and pay your ACC Levy to cover yourself for work or non work related injuries... only to be told no by ACC when you don't meet the "new" criteria... your "career" ends and you can't find work... the only alternative is sickness benefit... so you can't pay ACC workers levy and your claiming off the state because they're too tight to spend 20k (for arguments sake), to rehabilitate you, so that you can go back to work, pay a workers Levy and not claim sickness... I'm fucked if i'll ever understand that kind of logic...

[MSTRS:Me]

Yep. Miserliness only ever begets poor results.
But ACC will still get some money from the disaffected, and won't be paying anything out to them. That is all they care about.

[Mom]

Just been taking to a friend, self employed, glazier. Owns a business that employs 3 staff. The week before Xmas he was lifting a sheet of stock glass off the delivery truck and it fell apart. Result was a nasty cut to his forearm requiring a general anesthetic and a couple of days in hospital to repair. No ACC compensation payment for him as the doctor said he could do light duties. Like he said, he cant lift anything for 3 months, but can sit on his arse in the office. He does not do sitting in the office, he is on the tools, his wife does the accounts etc. He has had to employ a glazier to do his work (extra expense they do not need). He wonders why he contributes to ACC, though he did get a letter pointing out that all his treatment was free, he is grateful for that.

[Winston001]

Just been taking to a friend, self employed, glazier. Owns a business that employs 3 staff. The week before Xmas he was lifting a sheet of stock glass off the delivery truck and it fell apart. Result was a nasty cut to his forearm requiring a general anesthetic and a couple of days in hospital to repair. No ACC compensation payment for him as the doctor said he could do light duties. Like he said, he cant lift anything for 3 months, but can sit on his arse in the office. He does not do sitting in the office, he is on the tools, his wife does the accounts etc. He has had to employ a glazier to do his work (extra expense they do not need). He wonders why he contributes to ACC, though he did get a letter pointing out that all his treatment was free, he is grateful for that.

That sounds unfair to me but the reason lies with the doctor, not ACC. We don't want ACC paying people compensation when they are able to work but the assessment of "work" is the key. Your friend should have insisted to his doctor that his job was physical not administrative. Hindsight is wonderful isn't it. He could still go back to the doctor for reassessment.

[mashman]

Yep. Miserliness only ever begets poor results.
But ACC will still get some money from the disaffected, and won't be paying anything out to them. That is all they care about.

I can only assume when the insurers start to appear they will be part of the ACC Partnership Programme... guess that's what they'll be "banking" on...

[MSTRS:Me]

You don't need to assume that either. Insurance is NOT about paying out...

[mashman]

You don't need to assume that either. Insurance is NOT about paying out...

The reason for my assumptions... i'm not always right... if i'm wrong hopefully someone points it out... validates my thought process... and i'd rather not make the same mistakes that our "elected representatives" seem to have a penchant for...

How true! unless of course you've got one of the "problems" that they are contractually obliged to pay out for... then once the courts have decided whether ACC or Insurance are paying, they may still not have to pay... win win... anyone fancy starting an insurance company?

[rainman]

Physios will manage, but workers like your friends will end up on sickness benefits. Should be treated through ACC and stay/go back to work, but no longer. If they can't work because of their injury, ACC will (and are!!) saying it's age-related = no compo. All that leaves is the dole (WINZ will say no to that). All that leaves is a sickness benefit of some sort.
Lovely, eh?

I'm about to take this fight to ACC myself - I've had back problems for years stemming from an original injury which ACC covered. They even paid for surgery when the disc finally slipped. Since then I've managed my way to fairly normal function, until a few months ago when I injured myself again. ACC have provided initial physio cover and a modest extension (after a fight) but the physio is now saying she can't fix it all and I need to talk to my specialist again. He'll be $250 a visit minimum, and won't say anything until after an MRI, so I won't be able to fund this myself (work has been virtually non-existent for some months, so I'm skint). ACC have already said no further physio. I am not completely impaired by any means - but every week or so I have a really bad few days and struggle to sit for a long time, or even drive without mucho Voltaren and pain relief, etc. If I don't get this fixed properly, it will be next stop fusion surgery, and likely a long unemployed wait on a waiting list. I'm expecting a big fight from ACC, though, and plenty of bullshit about wear and tear, and old age...

You don't need to assume that either. Insurance is NOT about paying out...

Tell me about it - just had a travel insurance claim declined by Chartis on the basis of a sneaky bit of small print.... fkers.

[Deano]

He wonders why he contributes to ACC, though he did get a letter pointing out that all his treatment was free, he is grateful for that.

The treatment would have been free regardless. He was basically paying ACC for nothing.

[mashman]

I'm about to take this fight to ACC myself - I've had back problems for years stemming from an original injury which ACC covered. They even paid for surgery when the disc finally slipped. Since then I've managed my way to fairly normal function, until a few months ago when I injured myself again. ACC have provided initial physio cover and a modest extension (after a fight) but the physio is now saying she can't fix it all and I need to talk to my specialist again. He'll be $250 a visit minimum, and won't say anything until after an MRI, so I won't be able to fund this myself (work has been virtually non-existent for some months, so I'm skint). ACC have already said no further physio. I am not completely impaired by any means - but every week or so I have a really bad few days and struggle to sit for a long time, or even drive without mucho Voltaren and pain relief, etc. If I don't get this fixed properly, it will be next stop fusion surgery, and likely a long unemployed wait on a waiting list. I'm expecting a big fight from ACC, though, and plenty of bullshit about wear and tear, and old age...



Tell me about it - just had a travel insurance claim declined by Chartis on the basis of a sneaky bit of small print.... fkers.

Wear and fuckin tear my hairy white buttocks... if that's the case and i'm not likely to receive any cover from ACC because of my age, i would like to see the pensionable age drastically reduced please, ya know, to compensate for the life taken from me by a miserly government. Sorry to hear about your trouble rainman... but age should have no bearing on anything... the fact that you're unable to carry out your daily life, sometimes, without being in agony should be the overriding factor...

Ode To A Magic Wand

I used to have a magic wand
Must have left it on the other side of the pond
For if it was here with me in NZ
I wouldn't be posting in this thread

The streets would be safer and cleaner for all
We'd be riding around and having a ball
Drinking and frolicking with total impunity
Enjoying our friends, family and community

Yet here i sit, no wand in my hand
Just thoughts of NZ so free and so grand
No money worries here for you or for me
And ACC strife but a bitter memory

Shit... why did i forget my wand
I could use it right now to make rainman's back strong
Could wave it for moms mate, arm sliced up by glass
Could remove those in power, well, the pains in the ass

Oh magic wand come hither to me
I'd like to save this badly run country
Once and for all and to never again
But strangled at the hands of the politician

[rainman]

...
I could use it right now to make rainman's back strong...

Thanks for the sentiment, but there's only a few things that can fix backs and that's either long sustained rehab exercise, or in some cases, surgery. No magic wands...