Increasing regulated ACC payments for treatment

Summary

This consultation seeks feedback on proposals to:

• apply a general inflation increase of 1.56 per cent to ACC payments for treatment and imaging services
• provide for lower cost injury-related general practice visits for Community Services Card holders and their dependents by increasing ACC payments for this group of people
• extend fee-free general practice visits to children under 14 years old by increasing ACC payments for this group of people.

The proposed 1.56 per cent increase would apply to ACC’s regulated contributions to services provided by counsellors, dentists, hyperbaric oxygen, radiologists, medical practitioners, nurses, medical practitioners and nurses, nurse practitioners, specialists and specified treatment providers.

The proposed additional contributions to support lower cost general practice visits for Community Services Card holders and their dependents and fee-free general practice visits to children under 14 years old are part of the Government’s broader package of primary health care initiatives to remove barriers to primary care and help people identify and treat problems early.

The proposed ACC changes would be implemented by changing the Accident Compensation (Liability to Pay or Contribute to the Cost of Treatment) Regulations 2003 (the Regulations), which prescribe regulated payments made by ACC for consultations, specified treatments and imaging services provided to ACC claimants. The Minister for ACC is consulting on changes to the Regulations to gather information from stakeholders to ensure the regulations best meet the needs of claimants, the health sector and ACC. ACC will discuss the proposed payments with contract holders, in-line with the Government’s commitments.

The policy objectives for considering the cost of treatment contributions are:

• Treatment costs are affordable so it is accessible to people that need it
• Costs to levy and tax payers are financially sustainable
• Payments do not cause issues in the health sector