John, a hardworking 63-year-old senior carpenter, has always been active – whether it's sports, fishing, or working in the garden. But his life was upended after a workplace injury: while installing massive bay windows on a construction site, John tore both of his shoulders. Despite pushing through the pain, it became clear he needed surgery to repair the damage, but the real struggle began when his ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation) claim was rejected due to the injury being deemed degenerative – linked to his age.
Feeling discouraged, John and his wife Maree were almost resigned to postponing his surgery so that they could save to cover expenses while John would be off work. However, Maree reached out to Southern Cross Health Insurance’s Member Advocacy team, which proved to be a game-changer. Our Member Advocacy team has access to medical and dispute resolution expertise to support members who may feel out of their depth navigating the ACC process. This service, available to members at no extra charge, helped gather the necessary medical information and resolve the issue with ACC without a lengthy hearing process. Thanks to their support, John received the surgery and financial assistance he needed – allowing him to recover and return to work sooner than expected.
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