Southern Cross Affiliated Providers System

Southern Cross Affiliated Providers System

We should be aware that, unlike most life and income protection insurances, most (but not all) medical insurance policies allow the insurer to change the terms and conditions.

Southern Cross Medical Insurance has just made some interesting changes to the terms of their policies.  The major change is that many procedures, including Angiograms, Angioplasty, CT Scans and MRI Scans, among many others, will only be covered if they are performed by one of Southern Cross' Affiliated Providers.

This means that the customer does not have a free choice about the medical professional that he/she wants to provide the necessary service.

I think that Southern Cross will argue that they have negotiated fees with these Affiliated Providers that reduce their cost of claims,and this is reflected in reduced premiums for the customers.  This is indeed possible, and if true, will be to the benefit of all Southern Cross customers.

It is a pity though, that some customers who need to use their policy, may not be able to choose their medical professional!

ACC Anomaly

ACC Anomaly

I recently realised that I had been labouring under a misunderstanding about the level of compensation provided by ACC.

ACC provides compensation for loss of income due to accident - and, if you are totally disabled,  unable to work and earning nothing, ACC pays 80% of your pre-disability income up to the statutory maximum - currently approximately $92,000.

If however, you are partially disabled - i.e. able to work and earn but less than you earned prior to becoming disabled, then the benefit is 100% of your loss of income.  The wording means that, in the extreme case, if partially disabled and only able to earn 5% of your pre-disability income, then ACC would pay you 95%!

All of this presupposes that you are able to get through the masses of hurdles that ACC puts in your way when making a claim!

Doesn't seem right somehow!