Working with ACC
For more information about entitlements, injury support or getting help with an ACC claim, please visit the ACC website.
ACC Claims
New ACC injury claims can be completed by your physiotherapist at the time of your visit, and are submitted electronically to ACC. ACC will advise you of their decision generally within 1-2 weeks. Please note that claim acceptance by ACC is not guaranteed, and where the claim is declined, private treatment fees will apply.
Why do we charge surcharges for ACC visits?
ACC only pays physiotherapists a small portion of the full cost of treatment, therefore a surcharge is required to cover the shortfall paid from ACC. Surcharges may vary according to clinic location and the qualifications and expertise of the physiotherapist.
Frequently Asked Questions
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We can get information from ACC about how many treatments you have left for your injury, however there may be delays on the ACC provider helpline to get this information, and we may not be able to tell you on your first visit whether you have ACC funded treatments left. If you pay the ACC surcharge on your first visit but find out the claim has expired or all treatments have been used, a balance of payment to the private fee will be required.
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If ACC decline the claim, any physiotherapy treatments received after the date the claim was declined will require the balance of private fees to be paid (see below).
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Where there is no current ACC claim, or physiotherapy cover has expired, the full cost of treatment is paid by the patient. If you have an ACC claim that has been declined, expired, and/or an ACC32 request has been declined, you can still continue treatment at the private rate.
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If your medical insurance policy covers physiotherapy then you can claim back the ACC surcharge payments, and the private fees payments (up to the annual limit specified on your policy). A full receipt will be given that will suffice for insurance purposes. Check your policy, or contact your insurance company to find out what is included in your physiotherapy cover.
Medical insurance generally won’t reimburse the cost of materials, report fees, or failed appointment fees. Check your policy for details.
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This will depend on the arrangement with the third party. Some third-parties pay the full cost of treatment (ACC subsidy and the surcharge) and some only pay the ACC subsidy meaning the surcharge is paid by the patient. Get your work representative/case manager to contact us directly about this.
The arrangement with WINZ varies. Usually WINZ pay the patient and it is the patient’s responsibility to pay the physiotherapy surcharge directly. Get your case worker to contact us directly to discuss this.
It is important to know that third-party organisations DO NOT pay for the following items. The following costs are the responsibility of the patient:
- Materials (exercise equipment/theraband etc)
- Equipment (braces, slings, crutches etc)
- Failed appointment fees (failure to arrive for an appointment or late cancellation).