Fees

ACC and Maternal Birth Injuries

For any ACC claim, there needs to have been some form of external force identified as causing the pelvic injury. For example, trauma sustained in a motorbike accident is considered external force, coughing causing a prolapse would be an internal force.

Birthing has historically been considered an internal force and as such has injuries sustained in childbirth were not covered by ACC, until now! As of October 2022 ACC has embraced Maternal Birth Injuries (MBI)! This is a major step towards getting early diagnosis and prevention in the field of Pelvic health.

Excitingly, ACC is also looking to cover adjuncts to therapy such as pessaries.

Sometimes a claim is submitted for you by your LMC or OB at the time of birth or soon after. As a Pelvic Health Physiotherapist, Anna can also submit an ACC claim for certain birth injuries, such as tears, prolapse, and pubic symphysis injuries. Evidence may be needed for this, for example; a discharge summary stating there was a tear, if there is no longer a tear present at the time of your assessment.

If you have any concerns, we can discuss this further during your appointment or through email.

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ACC and Musculoskeletal Injuries

NO REFERRAL REQUIRED

ACC is available for anyone in New Zealand who has sustained an injury related to an external force; this is typically a push, pull, fall, lift, or some form of overuse. ACC also covers New Zealanders who has sustained an injury overseas. ACC assists by subsidising your physiotherapy treatment fees, and you will only be responsible for the “co-payment” fee. (Please see our fees page for more information if needed).

PREVIOUS OR “OLD” INJURIES

If you have already lodged an injury with ACC, you should have been supplied with an ACC claim number for this injury. These are usually available to access for around a year from the date of injury, though this can vary as per situation, particularly with more complex injuries e.g. injury resulting from a motor bike road accident.

To attend under a previously given claim number, if possible please bring this ACC45 claim number with you makes the application process much easier. This can be checked with ACC to see if the claim is still active, and sometimes these claims can be reactivated if needed. You can call your previous provider (GP, physio, chiro etc) or ACC to request this number, or it is often on correspondence from ACC. If you cannot find your claim number, we can call ACC to track it down, however this usually takes some time. You may need to cover the full treatment fees until the number is located, in case it has not been lodged or no longer active.

NEW INJURIES

For new injuries that you believe are eligible for treatment under ACC, a form can be submitted for you through Silverdale Physio. On booking, a confirmation email is sent to you with links to a consent form and an ACC form for you to complete. These details are later used to submit your claim to ACC, so do not worry if you are unsure on the details as this can be clarified when you come in for your appointment prior to sending the formal paperwork off to ACC.

You can also use Southern Cross “Easy Claim” at Silverdale Physio. If your policy covers physiotherapy, you will only be required to cover any remaining gap. If you are unsure whether or not physiotherapy is covered by your policy, please call Southern Cross to confirm. Alternatively, your details can be put through Easy Claim anyway, and if your policy covers physiotherapy this can automatically be processed at the time of your appointment.