ACC hearing aid cuts 'will hit oldest and poorest'

Proposed changes to the Accident Compensation Corporation's hearing aid funding will deprive low-paid and elderly patients of rehabilitation, hearing experts say.

ACC is considering changes that would mean patients previously covered by the scheme would be forced to pay for a portion of their treatment. The rule change is aimed at tackling what ACC Minister Nick Smith has called the "wide grey zone" between accidents covered by the scheme and illnesses that should come under the public health system.

The plans have been vigorously opposed by hearing professionals and their patients. New Zealand Audiological Society president Lesley Hindmarsh says the new rules would disadvantage the poorest and oldest members of the community.

"If someone has 20 per cent hearing loss and 10 per cent is caused by ageing and the other 10 per cent by noise damage, ACC will only cover half of the costs for hearing aids and treatment," she said.

"Some people will not be able to pay. Half a hearing aid is no use to anyone, so these people will get nothing."

A 73-year-old ACC client said the changes meant he might no longer be able to afford his $7000 hearing aids. He currently uses two ACC-funded aids for hearing loss caused by years of doing noisy maintenance work. "Without them I'll just go deafer and deafer. ACC is again picking on the superannuants. This is just another nail in our coffins."

The proposed changes follow the July 1 introduction of tighter funding criteria, against which hearing professionals have also fought for months.

Stephanie Mears, of Bay Audiology, said the industry had been unfairly targeted in ACC's cost-cutting initiatives.

"We have saved millions and millions already by working in cooperation with ACC to streamline the system," Dr Mears said. "They have misrepresented costs to make it look like cuts need to be made."

Using age as a reason for refusing to fund part of the treatment did not make sense, as the cost remained the same, regardless of the cause. "The fact is everybody ages, but they still have an injury that needs to be treated."

Dr Smith last month singled out Bay Audiology as being one of two "major corporates" taking advantage of the scheme in a way that the new rules sought to prevent.

Dr Mears said she was disappointed by the minister's suggestion and the company had asked Dr Smith to explain further.

Ms Hindmarsh said she also thought the minister had his facts wrong because he was "working from projections" that did not reflect actual costs.

Bay Audiology and the NZAS will continue to lobby against the changes, along with other groups including the National Foundation for the Deaf and Grey Power.

- © Fairfax NZ News