ACC protest movement dead?

**MSTRS:Me** · 23rd December 2010, 08:04

Originally Posted by Scuba_Steve

And people we're complaining about the hike for this exact reason, it was unjustified, unneeded & only reason it was done was to have a profit margin worth private insurers time.

Exactly. It took all of 5 minutes to work out why the levy hikes were happening, way back a year ago.
Few of us were fooled by Nick the Prick's rhetoric about ACC being broke. But how many are we? We'd be in an entirely different place right now, if the rest of the country could be bothered to the extent we are.

**BoristheBiter** · 23rd December 2010, 08:39

Originally Posted by James Deuce

Ahh yes another one who believes that the capitalist model can only produce golden examples of how to look after people. Place where I worked back during the last privatisation attempt , our Aussie based ACC replacement went bust. One of the women at work received multiple fractures of one of her legs in an international sporting event and simply lost her income and had to come into work. We had to to lift her on to the loo amongst other things. I think 80% from ACC is a much better deal than nothing.

I have no faith in profit driven income protection insurance schemes, particularly when you look at how many Aussie insurance companies went broke trying to compete with ACC last time. When those companies go broke people suffer, but I guess that isn't important when you save a buck here and there.

Sorry to hear that you employer was shit at choosing a scheme for their workplace insurance.
I agree that guide lines need to be set and that some will fail badly and that needs to be sorted out by the government before this goes ahead.
And if you still don't want it you can vote the nats out and labour back in.

as it will not come into effect until the after the election.

**BoristheBiter** · 23rd December 2010, 08:47

Originally Posted by Scuba_Steve

Wow you are blinded "opening it up to competition" is 1st step towards privatization. I didn't think anyone ever fell for "management" speak, guess I was wrong.

And people we're complaining about the hike for this exact reason, it was unjustified, unneeded & only reason it was done was to have a profit margin worth private insurers time.

See thats where you are so wrong. I am not blinded, I am all in favor of private health insurance.
It would mean that i don't have to put up with the third world health system that you love so much, if thats what we pay for then you can keep it.

**BMWST?** · 23rd December 2010, 08:48

Originally Posted by BoristheBiter

Sorry to hear that you employer was shit at choosing a scheme for their workplace insurance.
I agree that guide lines need to be set and that some will fail badly and that needs to be sorted out by the government before this goes ahead.
And if you still don't want it you can vote the nats out and labour back in.

as it will not come into effect until the after the election.

sorted by the government?I thought the whole idea was the government became LESS involved.Why pay two lots of administration fees?
With the splitting out of individual parts of the whole the whole idea of ACC is weakened,and groups such as ours have to be targeted to make the remainder "stand alone" which is also not part of the overall ideals.

**yungatart** · 23rd December 2010, 08:49

Originally Posted by BoristheBiter

Sorry to hear that you employer was shit at choosing a scheme for their workplace insurance.
I agree that guide lines need to be set and that some will fail badly and that needs to be sorted out by the government before this goes ahead.

See, that's just it. Employers will want to save as much as they can in these difficult times, so they may opt for the cheapest cover, not necessarily the best...and who will suffer? The employee....

As to Govt setting guidelines and sorting things out before this goes ahead. You what? They are only interested in setting the whole thing up for sale...not who gets hurt in the process

**Scuba_Steve** · 23rd December 2010, 09:04

Originally Posted by BoristheBiter

See thats where you are so wrong. I am not blinded, I am all in favor of private health insurance.
It would mean that i don't have to put up with the third world health system that you love so much, if thats what we pay for then you can keep it.

I suggest you go watch 'sicko' and the phrase "be careful what you wish for" comes to mind.

**MSTRS:Me** · 23rd December 2010, 09:10

Originally Posted by BoristheBiter

See thats where you are so wrong. I am not blinded, I am all in favor of private health insurance.
It would mean that i don't have to put up with the third world health system that you love so much, if thats what we pay for then you can keep it.

Just what does that have to do with ACCIDENT cover?

**Mom** · 23rd December 2010, 09:18

Originally Posted by BoristheBiter

It would mean that i don't have to put up with the third world health system that you love so much, if thats what we pay for then you can keep it.

I cant afford private insurance. So where does that leave me then?

I can tell you.

I have had first had experience of our third world health care this year. Two hospital admittances for completely different things. No waiting, no mucking around, I got sick, I got treated. The staff, nurses and doctors are all wonderful, the only part of this health care system that let me down was ACC, go figure that? They refused to pay for two ambulance trips to hospital because they happened over 24 hours after the "injury" happened.

**BoristheBiter** · 23rd December 2010, 10:04

Originally Posted by Mom

I cant afford private insurance. So where does that leave me then?

I can tell you.

I have had first had experience of our third world health care this year. Two hospital admittances for completely different things. No waiting, no mucking around, I got sick, I got treated. The staff, nurses and doctors are all wonderful, the only part of this health care system that let me down was ACC, go figure that? They refused to pay for two ambulance trips to hospital because they happened over 24 hours after the "injury" happened.

In todays system i am glad you haven't had the problems I have had with our health system.
1) Mother was having massive pains in back chest arrive at hospo by ambo.
takes 2 hours to be seen by doctor, 12 hours later she night have gall stones.
1 week later she gets a gangrenous gall bladder removed, infection spread.
2) tried to rip leg off on bike 8 hours to be seen by doctor, 3 hours to sort out whats wrong.

surgical cover for legs to be operated on, straight away, top staff, top food, top equipment, top rehabilitation.

Nothing will suit everyone so we need to have the choice on what we want.
Do i want to see ACC go? no. Do i want to see it sold off? no. Do I want it to be run by some one other than the government? No. Do i want the right to choose my insurer? yes.
You never know I might stay with ACC, they might have the better service but i should have the right to choose.

**avgas** · 23rd December 2010, 10:08

Originally Posted by Mom

I cant afford private insurance. So where does that leave me then?

Actually you can Mom.
Cancel the ACC in your rego and your 1/3 the way there.
Aussie health insurance firms aren't as gluttonous as the US ones.
My health insurance there cost less than $1800/year

**mashman** · 23rd December 2010, 10:45

Originally Posted by BoristheBiter

You never know I might stay with ACC, they might have the better service but i should have the right to choose.

BUT. You can't have both!

Of the people i've spoken with over the last few months are anything to go by. MOST would prefer to choose their own health insurer. This creates a BIG problem for ACC, they're the high earners. The current top end of the ACC revenue stream would then be shared across the entire insurance industry.

Damage the ACC "brand" as best you can, BRAND IS EVERYTHING and it's done! If you're not happy with the service and can afford it, you will probably pay more for your private health cover. They'll guarantee everything, but you can afford it, fair play. That takes revenue away from the ACC. Take revenue away from the ACC, in any substantial numbers (high earners), and ACC Levies will go through the roof! as it's revenue stream would be shared amongst the "competition". Do that with every other account, and the govt of the day will sell ACC, because it will be costing the country a fortune. It will be privatised or left for dead.

At that point in time, we will have fully solved Nicks problem of competing unfairly... as ACC won't be able to undercut the private guys anymore, and won't have any profit to return either.

That's how I see the future. You can fill in the social consequences yourself.