Up to 50,000 people with a mix of injury and age-related hearing loss will have to pay more for their hearing aids under a new government initiative.
ACC Minister Nick Smith today announced hearing aid costs would be apportioned between ACC and the Ministry of Health.
ACC currently funds all hearing aid claims which meant employers were subsidising the rising cost of age-related hearing loss through their ACC levies, Dr Smith said.
"It is not fair that employers are being required to pay through their ACC levies... age is not an accident."
However, employers' ACC levies are not likely to decrease as a result of the change. The levy is reviewed annually and the change in funding is likely to prevent an increase in the levy to cover rising hearing loss associated costs.
Dr Smith said the cost of ACC hearing loss claims had risen from $20 million a year in 2000 to $60m today, and was projected to increase to $80m by 2014.
Anyone currently receiving ACC funding for hearing aids was ineligible for health assistance.
Under the new proposal that would change.
Those with injury-related hearing loss would continue to receive ACC funding while those with age-related hearing loss would receive money from the Ministry of Health.
People would continue to apply directly with ACC which would seek funding from the ministry.
ACC would pay a person with 100 percent injury-related hearing loss $3450 for two hearing aids, while those with 100 percent age-related loss would get $1022 for two hearing aids.
Those with a mix of injury and age-related hearing loss would get some funding from ACC and some from the ministry.
Dr Smith said the changes would mean less funding for those with a mix of injury and age-related hearing loss.
"But, I am confident with 56 types of hearing aid available within the lowest band of joint funding provided, their needs for support will be met."
The majority of ACC clients, around 50,000 people, had a mix of age and injury-related hearing loss, ACC's Kevin Morris told NZPA.
"Most of these clients will still get a reasonable hearing aid that suits their needs," he said.
Someone with 50 percent age and 50 percent injury-related hearing loss would get $2000 towards their hearing aids.
Labour's disability spokeswoman Lynne Pillay said splitting the cost between ACC and the ministry would result in people having to pay more.
"There is already an assumed hearing loss scale due to age built into the scheme."
The change would cause concern for those with hearing loss and was another example of the Government moving the goal posts and making it harder to get funding, she said.
The change would not affect people with severe hearing loss who were funded entirely by the health ministry, returned servicemen who received help from veterans' affairs, nor low income earners getting help from the Ministry of Social Development.
The change will be in place from January 1.
