Public funding for CAM services

ACC subsidies

• ACC subsidises acupuncture, chiropractic, and osteopathy services provided by specified providers.  Regulations stipulate that a subsidy of $19 per treatment is paid by ACC on any course of treatment provided to an insured person (i.e. a person covered by the Accident Insurance Act 1998).  The consumer pays the remainder, the amount of which varies according to the price set by the treatment provider.

 

• As chiropractic is regulated by statute, chiropractors must hold a current annual practising certificate issued by the Chiropractic Board in order to claim ACC subsidies. 

 

• Osteopathy and acupuncture are currently not regulated by statute.  The Accident Insurance Act 1998 therefore stipulates that only treatment provided by osteopaths who belong to the New Zealand Register of Osteopaths Incorporated, or acupuncturists who belong to the New Zealand Register of Acupuncturists Incorporated, qualifies for ACC subsidy.

 

• This situation may change as other CAM practitioners become regulated by statute.  The Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Bill includes a provision for the statutory regulation of osteopaths, and may enable other CAM practitioners to achieve statutory regulation in the future.  For more information, see the section on Regulation.

 

Work and Income New Zealand    

• Work and Income New Zealand (WINZ) has a policy of paying a Disability Allowance to cover the cost of CAM treatment that a person requires due to a disability[i].  To qualify, the treatment must be provided by a registered health professional, for example:

 

-          a chiropractor

-          an osteopath

-          a medical practitioner who practises homoeopathy

-          a medical practitioner who practises acupuncture

-          a physiotherapist who practises acupuncture

 

• A Disability Allowance is not paid for:

 

-          treatment that is not provided or supervised by a registered health professional

-          alternative treatments such as iridology, reiki or faith healing provided by people who are not registered health professionals

 

• A Disability Allowance can include the cost of CAM products such as vitamins, supplements, herbal remedies or minerals, so long as a doctor provides verification that:

 

-          there are no suitable subsidised or partly subsidised mainstream pharmaceutical products available to treat the disability

-          the doctor has applied to the District Health Board for a subsidy or increased subsidy

-          the CAM product is essential for the treatment of the person’s disability

---

[i] See the appropriate section of the WINZ manual