Impartial and nonpolitical. Yeah right

[MSTRS:Me]

A report on Stuff states...

A leaked internal ACC document claims successive governments have manipulated the scheme for their own political ends.

Produced for former chief executive Ralph Stewart , the document contains a chart showing a correlation between the government in office and the inflation-adjusted payments made by ACC.

According to the document, Need for Change, ACC is "demonstrably inconsistent" and claimants are treated differently according to "political cycles".

A former ACC director told the Star-Times the swings in policy were achieved through governments appointing the ACC board, which instructs chief executives what is required of them.

The message was then sent to case managers through targets, policies and directives.

"In 2009, there was a wholesale change of the board by [ACC Minister] Nick Smith who wanted to move quickly and have the board more reflective of the government's views," he said.

Depending on what ministers demand, savings or popularity, ACC will adjust its policies to deliver, resulting in rises and falls in the effective insurance cover.

"The perennial issue will always remain: what proportion of the inevitable costs of accidents and injuries will be borne by individuals and their families? That's the boundary that moves," he said.

The public was less likely to make claims if they thought ACC would give them a hard time.

"That's a very apparent trend. The government of the day sends out the signal, and people think it is not worth bothering," the director said.

The political cycle of ACC mapped out in the document corresponds closely with the number of appeals taken to ACC dispute resolution service Fairway, with rises coming under National.

The cycle is also mapped out in the number of elective surgery requests declined, which rose from 9 per cent in 2009 to 21 per cent in 2010, with ACC management concluding that between 2005 and 2009 "insufficient attention" was paid to whether the claims were accident-related.

Both National and Labour claim to be delivering an ACC scheme in accordance with the law.

[Akzle]

A report on Stuff states...

A leaked internal ACC document claims successive governments have manipulated the scheme for their own political ends.

well.... duh?

[Ocean1]

"The perennial issue will always remain: what proportion of the inevitable costs of accidents and injuries will be borne by individuals and their families? That's the boundary that moves,"

This statement, from an industry insider holds a fairly high political rpm in it's own right.

The political climate hasn't been what's made the biggest change over the last decade. It's been the inclusion of funding for more and more procedures for a widening range of causes, driven by lobbyists and minor political deities on their constituents behalf. All of which costs more. Much more.

So, because it's political suicide to deny cover to a complete class of applicants you have to make savings elsewhere. There's no other room to move, you begin to decline applications across the board, for whatever reason allows you to do so.

It's probably the least fair way to manage the budget, no matter your political leanings. It's far better to simply list what you'll cover and then do it, that way it's clear up front what's funded and what's not, without the patently unjust and random denial of serviced we currently get.

[James Deuce]

If they aren't going to treat you I think you should be allowed to punch a Doctor. If you have arms of course.

[Ratu]

ACC are appalling at the moment, I know three of my friends have had legitimate claims appealed 7 times before they gave up.
They seem to work on the system of letting you win the case (so you have to pay your no-win-no-fee lawyer) then appealing the next day. This means that people eventually drop it as their legal costs exceed the size of their initial claim.

[Edbear]

See my thread, "ACC isn't invincible" I won my case and was paid out in full and put back on weekly compo. The biggest problem is that people do give up and often out of frustration or not knowing what to do next.

I won't use a lawyer, they are inefficient and slow. I did give one a go but he stuffed up and set me back two months.

I have a very good understanding of ACC legislation and how the process works and would be happy to help anyone with their case.

[TheDemonLord]

I have only ever had one ACC claim, and so far has been really easy....

I must be special!

[bluninja]

I have only ever had one ACC claim, and so far has been really easy....

I must be special!

Wow ACC cover for an "accident" of birth!

I've had no issues with the 2 claims I've made, but then they were just for an ops and some physio.

[TheDemonLord]

Wow ACC cover for an "accident" of birth!

I've had no issues with the 2 claims I've made, but then they were just for an ops and some physio.

Oh, Such cutting Wit!

But pray good sir, do not vacate your current employment to embark on a career inducing mirth in a paying audience.

Actually it was for a torn ligament in my thumb when I fell off my bike

[bluninja]

Oh, Such cutting Wit!

But pray good sir, do not vacate your current employment to embark on a career inducing mirth in a paying audience.

Actually it was for a torn ligament in my thumb when I fell off my bike

Thumbs tend to stick out and get caught when you come off. One of my claims was for a Bennett's fracture on my thumb when I fell off at Manfield hairpin during practice; the other was a damaged Achilles doing judo. Maybe they should just ban all sports.