A bill that will allow more birth injuries to be covered by ACC has passed its third reading.
The Accident Compensation (Maternal Birth Injury and Other Matters) Amendment Bill passed in the House this evening.
New injuries covered by ACC will include tears, fractures, dislocations and the rupturing of the uterus.
The cover will be available from October 1, and is expected to provide support to 28,000 birthing parents.
ACC Minister Carmel Sepuloni said the bill marked a commitment to "laying the foundations for a better future by improving equity and health outcomes for women through amending ACC legislation".
However, it won't be available retrospectively, as called for by the Greens, meaning people who have sustained these injuries in the past cannot claim the cover.
Greens ACC spokesperson Jan Logie said it is "a day to celebrate".
“Previous Governments designed ACC in a way that has meant cover has been readily available for an ACL tear on the rugby field but near impossible to get for a perineal tear after giving birth – even more so for wāhine Māori. Today that changes."
More than 70% of people giving birth may experience an injury during labour, Sepuloni said.
The bill was introduced by in December 2021. The aim of the bill was to “provide more equitable coverage for injuries covered by the Accident Compensation Scheme”.
It also said it would “provide greater clarity for claimants, and to better give effect to the policy intent of the Accident Compensation Act 2001”.
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