New Zealand Audiological SocietyThursday 17 June 2010, 10:30AM
Media release from the New Zealand Audiological
Society
The Government is targeting the old and vulnerable with another
round of rushed and ruthless ACC cuts that will hurt tens of
thousands of New Zealanders who rely on ACC for their hearing
aids.
"The cuts mean that everyone with a noise induced hearing loss is
going to lose out," says Lesley Hindmarsh, President of the New
Zealand Audiological Society.
"ACC has always covered the full cost of the hearing assessment and
hearing aids for people who have lost their hearing because of
exposure to noise, regardless of how old they are. This is about to
change."
The new plans mean the Government will no longer cover the full
cost of the hearing aid needed by someone who has lost their
hearing because of exposure to noise.
"This impacts significantly on the elderly," says Mrs Hindmarsh.
"Many retirees have less money in their pockets as they get older,
and the Government wants those with noise induced hearing loss to
suddenly come up with the money to pay towards their hearing
aids.
"Noise induced hearing loss is a permanent disability. It
doesn't get fixed as you get older.
"People with noise induced hearing loss can't get half a hearing
aid. If they don't have the extra money to pay they will miss
out completely," she says.
Submissions on the changes close this Friday (June 18).
"Consultation on these changes is a farce. The New Zealand
Audiological Society and a range of others have asked for more time
to have our say but these requests have been rejected.
"Workers in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s are now paying the price of
poor noise management practices in the workplace. Through no
fault of their own these New Zealanders were subject to noisy and
unsafe workplaces - the ACC no fault comprehensive cover recognised
that.
"The Government's ruthlessness towards people with noise induced
hearing loss knows no bounds - these rushed changes come on top of
cuts to ACC cover for people with less than 6 percent hearing loss
which take effect on 1 July," says Mrs Hindmarsh.
The New Zealand Audiological Society is the professional
organisation representing qualified Audiologists and audiology in
New Zealand www.audiology.org.nz