Prime Minister John Key says a $50 to $100 excess on ACC claims is not being considered right now, but may be in future.
The Government already announced a series of measures to save money and increase levies but yesterday the Sunday Star-Times reported a list of additional proposals put up by ACC which included:
* a $100 excess on every claim -- saving an estimated $170 million a year;
* reducing income compensation from 80 percent to 70 percent after one year and 60 percent after two, saving tens of millions;
* a two-year limit on compensation for soft tissue injuries, such as back pain;
* wider surveillance powers for ACC investigators; and
* legislation to make it easier to get workers back to work.
The proposals had been discussed at ministerial level.
Mr Key said the government was seeking to implement changes it had been made public and the additional ideas had not been considered by Cabinet.
"We are not looking at that (excess charge) at this time," he told Newstalk ZB.
Mr Key said while the excess, which he put at $50 to $100, was not on the agenda now but "I can't say it never will in future".
A spokesman for ACC Minister Nick Smith yesterday said as the government had received no recommendations, there had been no consideration.
However the ideas had been discussed with the minister.
Meanwhile opening up parts of ACC to private competition remained under discussion as the Government sought support to get through the initial changes.
Dr Smith announced the changes -- reduced entitlements and increased levies -- last week and published a draft bill, but he will need support from either ACT or the Maori Party to get a bare majority on a first reading.
Dr Smith is talking to both parties and ACT leader Rodney Hide confirmed had put his party's competition policy on the table.
It is National Party policy to investigate opening up the part of the scheme that covers work-related personal injuries to private competition.
On TV One's political show Q and A yesterday Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia, who is also Disability Issues Minister, said she was very concerned by the idea of privatising the work account.
Costs for ACC would increase if private enterprise were able to take the only profit making part of the insurance, she said.
While some "rationing does need to happen" Mrs Turia disagreed with any reduction in the budget for house or vehicle modifications for disabled people.
She would talk to Dr Smith on Tuesday.
Labour leader Phil Goff said privatisation would lead to higher levies, profits for private insurers and less cover for injured New Zealanders.
"ACT Leader Rodney Hide is misleading New Zealanders when he says that privatising ACC would result in lower levies. All the evidence suggests the opposite is true." Mishandling of the ACC issue had put ACT in a negotiating position, Mr Goff said, and he accused National of having a privatisation agenda.
The Government has said that was not true.
Mr Key said opening up the work account to private companies was a National policy and was in its election manifesto.
Exploratory work had been done on the idea, but it had not been completed, he said.
