The Government has been accused of targeting the old and vulnerable with further changes to ACC allowances for those with hearing loss.
New Zealand Audiological Society president Lesley Hindmarsh said today the Government was proposing changes the full funding of hearing aids for people who lost their hearing because of exposure to noise.
ACC covers the cost of a hearing assessment and hearing aids for people who lost their hearing due to exposure to noise no matter their age.
Mrs Hindmarsh said the proposed change would impact significantly on the elderly.
"Many retirees have less money in their pockets as they get older...noise induced hearing loss is a permanent disability, it doesn't get fixed as you get older."
New Zealanders subject to noisy workplaces in the 60s, 70s and 80s were now "paying the price for poor noise management in the workplace", Mrs Hindmarsh said.
She said the change showed a "ruthlessness" towards people with hearing loss, particularly on top of cuts to ACC cover for people with less than six percent hearing loss which take effect on July 1.
The Government introduced a six percent threshold for ACC funding for people with hearing loss.
