Q & A
Key Facts
- Noise injury is permanent damage
- Hearing impairment is the number one sensory disability in NZ. Untreated it can lead to isolation and depression.
- 55% of claimants have performed manual labour tasks in NZ industry. They can’t afford to pay for their own hearing aids.
- Regulations hit at the backbone of New Zealander’s, people who have helped build our country
- Government regulation impacting ACC hearing cover will hit the elderly the hardest
- 42% of claims were being turned downed down before the introduction of the regulations – Since January 1st more people have been turned down, and those who get through are receiving less funding
What is the problem with the proposed regulations?
- The Government is targeting the old and vulnerable with the new ACC regulations
- The Government is ruthlessly targeting New Zealand’s number one sensory disability – hearing impairment and the elderly to save it money.
- Many retirees have less money in their pockets as they get older, and the Government wants those with noise induced hearing loss to suddenly come up with the money to pay towards their hearing aids
Abandoned by ACC – The Hearing Industry Myths
Regulation is critical – contracting with the hearing sector hasn’t worked?
Contracting has worked. In fact an Accord between ACC and the hearing industry has generated savings of $6.7 million in the 2008/2009 year alone. Hearing related claim numbers increased trending along with the aging population, but the Accord held the rate of increase down to 3% per annum. The hearing industry has a track record of innovatively working with ACC. This partnership approach is now being terminated to railroad through quick change via regulation.
Growth – why are hearing claim costs sky rocketing?
Quite simply they are not. The hearing industry has been responsible and responsive… this is not being reported! The total cost for expenditure of products and services for the approximately 50,000 claimants with noise induced hearing loss for the 2008/2009 year was almost $59 Million. Without the actions of the ACC/industry “Accord”, manufacturers in the industry estimate the costs would have been $66 Million. The savings were achieved from the way the hearing industry operates under the scheme.
New Zealand’s movement away from being a traditional manufacturing and agricultural based economy will see their growth rates come down. Our past occupations did create noise damage as awareness about protection was low. The ACC calculations of future growth do not consider new savings achieved or the changes to the New Zealand occupational mix.
Accountability – why won’t the hearing industry help the Government?
We can and will. In fact the hearing industry has been trying to work with the ACC for six months to gain a workable solution in 2010. We volunteered to enter into a transparent survey that assessed the true costs of offering our professional services…. communication broke down when we failed to agree on critical points in the survey methodology. After that discussion stopped and regulation rolled in.
Greed – why is the industry is pushing everyone through to make money?
Quite the contrary. 42% of claimants are turned down each year. There are already good checks and measures that exist in the current system to ensure accountability.
Fairness – proposed changes impact everyone similarly don’t they?
Nothing could be farther from the truth. The regulations are ageist. Quite simply the more candles you have on your birthday cake the worse off you are. Noise induced hearing loss is a permanent injury. But that’s not how it’s considered when it comes to ACC funding. There are tables used to calculate percentage hearing loss caused by injury, these take into consideration a correction for the claimants age. Hearing does generally worsen with age; however the percentage loss caused by damage remains the same because hearing loss is permanent. When it comes to rehabilitation is it fair to disadvantage someone who worked in a factory 40 years ago, had their hearing damaged accidentally in a time when people didn’t even wear hearing protection? We feel that makes no sense at all.
Levies – why should employers have to cover for non work hearing injury?
They don’t. Contrary to what the Minister believes the industry use a Hearing Needs Assessment tool. This ensures claims are made based on “noise damage” proportion only..
No impact on me – why do I care. This change doesn’t affect me.
If you know someone with hearing loss – this change will affect you. Hearing loss impacts the person affected and eight others. It is socially debilitating and is New Zealand’s number one sensory disorder. There will be:
- Less help for you and your family in dealing with hearing aids as no funding is made for post fitting consultation
- Less money available for repairing hearing aids, and a harder fight get funding
- Many people who initially receive hearing aids will give up without regular clinical assistance. Hearing aids will end up in a drawer not being used. This is a false economy, the system gone mad
- There will be many audiologists who will not survive in this environment – you may not have your local trusted audiologist near you
