Costs covered by ACC: Treatment, compensation and other support

Medical bills

What kinds of treatment are covered by ACC?

Accident Compensation Act 2001, ss 6, 7, 73, 74, Schedule 1, clauses 1–6

Typical examples of treatment include:

  • emergency treatment at hospital A&E departments
  • other hospital treatment
  • visits to GPs and physiotherapists
  • visits to specialists, such as surgeons.

If you get emergency treatment at a hospital A&E after an accident, you don’t need to make a specific ACC claim for this. This is because emergency hospital treatment is bulk-funded by ACC.

Other treatment providers you can see under the ACC scheme include: acupuncturists, audiologists, chiropractors, counsellors, dentists, doctors, medical laboratory technologists, nurses, occupational therapists, optometrists, osteopaths, physiotherapists, podiatrists, and speech therapists.

Checklist for whether your specific treatment is covered

ACC has to pay for your treatment if the treatment is:

  • given to restore your health as far as possible
  • necessary, appropriate and of the required quality
  • performed only as often as necessary
  • given at appropriate places and times
  • of a type normally provided by doctors and other treatment providers
  • provided by someone who’s qualified and who normally provides it, and
  • provided only after ACC has agreed to it (except for emergency treatment and some other special cases).

ACC may also have to cover some or all of the cost of other services related to the treatment (“ancillary services”), such as accommodation, transport, medicines and lab tests.

In deciding if your treatment meets these requirements, ACC takes into account:

  • how serious your injury is
  • the generally accepted treatment for these types of injury in New Zealand
  • other treatment options available in New Zealand
  • the costs compared with the benefits you’re likely to get from the treatment.
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Accident compensation (ACC)

Where to go for more support

Community Law

www.communitylaw.org.nz

Your local Community Law Centre can provide free initial legal advice and information.

Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC)

www.acc.co.nz

Claims

Claims helpline: 0800 101 996
Treatment Injury and Sexual Abuse (sensitive claims): 0800 735 566
Accidental death: 0800 101 996
Deaf community fax: 0800 332 354
Email: claims@acc.co.nz

General enquiries

Phone: (04) 816 7400
Email: information@acc.co.nz

Complaints

Phone: 0800 650 222
Email: complaints@acc.co.nz

Health and Disability Commissioner

www.hdc.org.nz

Health and Disability advocates are available to help users of health services make complaints about their health service provider. Health and Disability advocates are free.

Sexual abuse claims (“Sensitive” claims)

ACC Sensitive Claims team

Phone: 0800 735 566
Email: sensitiveclaims@acc.co.nz

Find Support website – www.findsupport.co.nz

This is an ACC website that will help you find information and support. You can click on “Find a therapist” on the home page to find a therapist in your area who can help you begin the process of making an ACC claim.

Support organisations

Sexual abuse support centres

www.toah-nnest.org.nz/get-help

TOAHNNEST: Te Ohakii a Hine – National Network for Ending Sexual Violence Together has a list of places where you can get help.

Medical Council of NZ

www.mcnz.org.nz

The Medical Council registers doctors in New Zealand and has responsibilities in the areas of standards, conduct and competence.

Privacy Commissioner

www.privacy.org.nz

The Privacy Commissioner has a wide range of functions, including investigating complaints about breaches of privacy, running education programmes, and examining proposed legislation and how it may affect individual privacy.

Wayfinders

www.wayfinders.org.nz

Phone: 0800 273 030

Email: info@wayfinders.org.nz

Wayfinders are a free national service that’s available to anyone who have questions about ACC or a specific ACC claim. Their service is available for people who may want an alternative way to interact with ACC rather than deal with ACC directly.

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