An orthopaedic surgeon is speaking out over ACC denying treatment to some patients and accusing the corporation of moving the goalposts.
The Government last week announced ACC levy increases of about $200 a year for an average income worker with a car - and warned further increases were possible.
Labour MP Ruth Dyson tabled in Parliament today a letter from orthopaedic surgeon Pauline Grogan, who labelled the increases "incongruous at a time when ACC is not providing the services for a large segment of people".
In the past 12-18 months, 80 percent of her patients presenting with shoulder injuries had been refused surgery, Ms Sinclair said.
The ACC experts' criteria was "grossly simplified and predominantly excluded patients because of age and because of radiological results which indicated some mild degenerative change at the AC joint, although this was not in fact the area of treatment".
As well, the experts included elderly orthopaedic surgeons.
"Recently the reason for surgery being denied have been accompanied by quotes from papers of 1937," she said.
"This certainly suggests a lack of current medical insight."
Ms Sinclair also criticised the amount of paperwork involved in claims, saying it reduced surgeons' efficiency and ability to treat patients.
"I am writing to you with a plea that you will consider this information, and feel that the New Zealand public needs to know that they are getting a very poor deal out of ACC at present, particularly if they are over 60 and sustain a shoulder injury.
"It appears that ACC have changed the goalposts..."
Associate ACC Minister Pansy Wong said in Parliament ACC had a process for entitlement and coverage, and an appeal process.
"ACC operate under very strict regulations under the legislation. There is protocol for assessment, for acceptance of coverage.
"If (Ms Dyson) had specific evidence of so-called wrong decisions, she would have written to me, and she hasn't," she said.
