National opens ACC to private sector

[firefighter]

When I was assessed for my role as a Sky TV Contractor (in Auckland at the time) and the private insurance company refused to cover:
My Spine (upper and lower)
My Left Arm
My Right Arm
My Right Leg

And after these 'noted exclusions' were lodged on the policy they still expected a whopping $1600 per annum in premium because I worked on roofs at times..........

Fuck, imagine what they'll say to me?!

[phill-k]

Actually mite have a chance of getting a claim accepted too

Don't count on it the private insurers are in it for the bottom line - claims interfere with the bottom line.

Personal experience - Builder mate takes additional cover to cover his business costs should he have an accident or illness.

He steps off a plank and lands very heavily, ACC accept his claim and pay him his due the insurance company who had taken his money for nearly 20 yrs refused the claim as he had on the odd occasion had physio treatments as a tuneup to keep him working, paid for himself, for just generalised aches and pains, and had not bothered to note this on the renewals, when he challenged it the process to force them to pay, lawyers ect ect was just to much for him and he just gave up on it, returned to work after three months and covered the loss / costs himself..

[MSTRS:Me]

Yes, this happened before. Yes, ACC quite possibly lost a lot of money. Yes, Labour reversed the changes and re-instated ACC.
Will they do it again next time they take power? Who knows.
But National's absolute determination to privatise will not change, and will eventually lead to the total demise of ACC.

[Pussy]

ACC has been partially privatised before. I remember it well and fondly when I was self-employed in the 1990s. My "ACC levies" were considerably lower prior to a Labour gummint nationalising everything again.

Yep! They were in my last profession, too.

Bugger the nanny state liarbour

[Ocean1]

ACC has been partially privatised before. I remember it well and fondly when I was self-employed in the 1990s. My "ACC levies" were considerably lower prior to a Labour gummint nationalising everything again.

Ah, well, y'see we couldn't have self employed persons and small business owners paying merely reasonable levies, just not right.

I'm sick of it. The shape of the whole tax revenue structure mirrors pretty much exactly the ability to pay. Any pretense otherwise is insulting.

They figure any attempt to mitigate tax liability is effectivel cutting off ones nose to spite ones face. But I'm very close to ceasing work altogether until I can formulate a workable strategy to save for my dotage, as it is it's very nearly impossible to do legally.

[mashman]

"This policy of choice is the best way to put pressure on ACC to provide effective and efficient workplace accident cover,"

National replaced the ACC Board didn't they? What was the point of replacing the board?

"He said that advice was "somewhat contradictory" as it was suggested ACC would have difficulty competing with private insurers but would at the same time be able to compete unfairly "as it does not have to provide a return on capital"."

Somewhat contradictory? No brainer I would have thought. Why privatise an account that's generating a "surplus" of cash? Seems like a big PLUS for ACC and it returns in the 000,000,000's (even though it's invested).

"Officials will now also investigate introducing "choice" or private sector competition in other ACC accounts such as the earners and motor vehicle accounts, Dr Smith said."



"We do not wish to add to the financial pressures on households and businesses while a fragile economic recovery is under way."

So the previous 2 years of recession and ACC Levy increases didn't add to the financial pressures of households?

[NONONO]

Well guys, there it is, big and bold and in full 3D colour.
ACC done and dusted.
Won't be long now before we are paying huge legal fees and waiting , sometimes years, in order to have our claims sorted out.
Unless you can afford large contributions on earnings insurance, that wait can be devastating for families, lose the house, school fees? etc etc......cos you ain't working and no one's paying you.
The insurance company rider of "admit no fault" will see to that.
No doubt the insurers will loss lead the initial fees, keeping them at some lower percentage than any calculation of ACC, and once the ACC is dead....well, it's supper time.
To those of you that cheer the demise of such a world leading, forward thinking, totally Kiwi idea..sod you, you have little idea what you are getting into....but it won't be long till you find out.
Who's Next?
You Are!

[phill-k]

Well guys, there it is, big and bold and in full 3D colour.
ACC done and dusted.
Won't be long now before we are paying huge legal fees and waiting , sometimes years, in order to have our claims sorted out.
Unless you can afford large contributions on earnings insurance, that wait can be devastating for families, lose the house, school fees? etc etc......cos you ain't working and no one's paying you.
The insurance company rider of "admit no fault" will see to that.
No doubt the insurers will loss lead the initial fees, keeping them at some lower percentage than any calculation of ACC, and once the ACC is dead....well, it's supper time.
To those of you that cheer the demise of such a world leading, forward thinking, totally Kiwi idea..sod you, you have little idea what you are getting into....but it won't be long till you find out.
Who's Next?
You Are!

Bling to you - well said. My wife had a simple accident 5 yrs ago but thanks to some medical miss adventure she is unable to work. We have had our moments with ACC but at least they are governed by an act of parliament and have methods of appeal set in place, god help NZer's when we have to deal with private companies and fund the legal battles that will be required to force their hand.

[Oscar]

Well guys, there it is, big and bold and in full 3D colour.
ACC done and dusted.
Won't be long now before we are paying huge legal fees and waiting , sometimes years, in order to have our claims sorted out.
Unless you can afford large contributions on earnings insurance, that wait can be devastating for families, lose the house, school fees? etc etc......cos you ain't working and no one's paying you.
The insurance company rider of "admit no fault" will see to that.
No doubt the insurers will loss lead the initial fees, keeping them at some lower percentage than any calculation of ACC, and once the ACC is dead....well, it's supper time.
To those of you that cheer the demise of such a world leading, forward thinking, totally Kiwi idea..sod you, you have little idea what you are getting into....but it won't be long till you find out.
Who's Next?
You Are!

And you have a scintilla of proof for this statement?

[Fatt Max]

And you have a scintilla of proof for this statement?

The history of world politics will be the proof.....of the pudding.......oohh, pudding....

It's so plain and simple that ACC is getting lined up for the big privatisation so that the corporate world can muck in with their pollie mates and get a slice of the action. It is simple basic greed, money before people and its fucking coming mate so get your arse greased for a good old fashioned butt fuck from those we are suppoesed to trust with our votes and our lives.....

The pie tax is next, mark my fucking words sweathearts.....

[NONONO]

And you have a scintilla of proof for this statement?

Oh yes..I have lots of proof, research and personal experience.....
Have you ever lived in a place where the ACC model did not exist?
Spent any length of time in the UK, USA, Aus or anywhere but Godzone?

Have you seen the international reports on ACC?

Ever tried to get a claim settled and found the litigation fees would eat up the pay out?

Ever been on the receiving end of a spurious counter claim by an employee of a large corp, and even though the judiciary ruled you where at no fault, walked away having to pay costs, cost that wiped out the payment?

God bless you mate....one born every minute.

[Oscar]

Oh yes..I have lots of proof, research and personal experience.....
Have you ever lived in a place where the ACC model did not exist?
Spent any length of time in the UK, USA, Aus or anywhere but Godzone?

Have you seen the international reports on ACC?

Ever tried to get a claim settled and found the litigation fees would eat up the pay out?

Ever been on the receiving end of a spurious counter claim by an employee of a large corp, and even though the judiciary ruled you where at no fault, walked away having to pay costs, cost that wiped out the payment?

God bless you mate....one born every minute.

So - you got nuthin'?

[Oscar]

The history of world politics will be the proof.....of the pudding.......oohh, pudding....

It's so plain and simple that ACC is getting lined up for the big privatisation so that the corporate world can muck in with their pollie mates and get a slice of the action. It is simple basic greed, money before people and its fucking coming mate so get your arse greased for a good old fashioned butt fuck from those we are suppoesed to trust with our votes and our lives.....

The pie tax is next, mark my fucking words sweathearts.....

Er - ACC has been privatised before and as I recall, nothing much changed from the point of view of the private citizen, and for business, rates reduced markedly.

[Fatt Max]

Er - ACC has been privatised before and as I recall, nothing much changed from the point of view of the private citizen, and for business, rates reduced markedly.

This government is more aggressive (and underhand) with their outcome so I beleive this time it is very much different. No way can we as a nation let corporate thieves take over ACC and any other service these bastards want to make money out of.

[Oscar]

This government is more aggressive (and underhand) with their outcome so I beleive this time it is very much different. No way can we as a nation let corporate thieves take over ACC and any other service these bastards want to make money out of.

How so?

Why is it aggressive and underhanded?
The announcement today said that "..final decisions will occur after the 2011 election." I'd say that's very fair - feel free to vote against it.

As for the "corporate thieves" malarkey, I think you're getting a bit carried away aren't you? They're talking about allowing private providers, in addition to the ACC. Notwithstanding that, it is the ACC Act that provides the basis of the cover (the so called "no fault system"), and no one is talking about changing that.

The last time the same thing occurred, the sky didn't fall, but costs did.