New ACC report proves disentitlement rife in sensitive claims unit

The independent monitoring report of ACC's progress in implementing the recommendations from 2010 on clinical pathway, released today, offers further proof of a culture of disentitlement within the corporation that needs to be urgently, reversed says the Green Party.

The report by Dr Barbara Disley shows that in 2011 only 3.6 percent of sensitive claims lodged were accepted by ACC, down from 60 percent in 2008 when National became Government.

"There is a direct correlation between National instructing ACC to deal with sensitive claims differently in 2009 and the plunge in claims accepted," said Green Party ACC spokesperson Kevin Hague.

"The Government and ACC have created a culture of severe disentitlement when it comes to sensitive claims.

"To say that only 3.6 percent of sensitive claimants have a genuine case in 2011 when 60 percent did in 2008 is absurd.

"ACC is making it harder for claimants to have their claims accepted. The report states that some providers have said clients do not progress their claim due to concerns about the cover assessment process.

"The report also shows ACCs implementation of the 2010 recommendations have been breathtakingly slow, and expresses serious concerns about what would happen to the recommendations if independent monitoring was not occurring.

"ACC and the Government are dragging the chain over making sure sensitive claims are properly dealt with."

The report comes on the back of evidence that ACC staff are paid bonuses for cutting claimants from the ACC books and statements made by ACC senior manager Denise Cosgrove about targeting certain groups of claimants in a speech to an actuary conference in Australia last year.

"The Disley monitoring report provides further evidence of the need for a dramatic overhaul of ACC's operations in line with the rehabilitation plan proposed by the Green Party," said Mr Hague.

"The Green Party rehabilitation plan specifically highlights the need to fully implement all the recommendations of the Disley report and return the management of sensitive claims to the sensitive claims unit.

"I will be raising our rehabilitation plan and on-going concerns about sensitive claims when I meet with ACC Minister Judith Collins tomorrow.

"ACC is a great institution but it has been on the wrong path. It is time for the Government to properly support sensitive claimants and reinstate appropriate entitlement."