Blog Layout
Accuro launches free mental health solutions
Sep 10, 2019
LATEST NEWS FROM ONE OF OUR INSURERS
Accuro launches free mental health solution for more than 15,000 members
Easy and quick access to mental health diagnosis and support has been added to the range of services that Kiwis can call on from Accuro Health Insurance.
About 47% of New Zealanders will experience a mental illness and/or addiction at some time in their lives, with one in five people affected in any one year.
— Ministry of Health
“For many, issues such as depression or anxiety really affect their lives. Yet a lot of people don’t seek help or have issues with their treatment plan.” says Geoff Annals, CEO of Accuro Health Insurance, a not-for-profit health insurer based in Wellington. “The Government announced significant mental health funding this year, yet access to specialists can still be very limited, with long wait times, and can also be very expensive.”
“So Accuro is launching Mental Health Navigator in partnership with Best Doctors. First launched in Canada in 2016, Mental Health Navigator has since launched in Australia and will soon be launching in Europe. Accuro members are amongst the first New Zealanders to have access to this service. Mental Health Navigator is completely free for Accuro members to use alongside their specialist insurance cover, which includes a $500 benefit towards further consultations with NZ registered psychologists and psychiatrists, should follow up be required.
The Mental Health Navigator is available from 1st September, for everyone covered by an Accuro Specialist Plan, aged 18+. It’s designed to break down barriers by providing fast, comprehensive and confidential access to a team of mental health professionals. A call to the Mental Health Navigator number will be answered by a specialist mental health nurse and followed up within 10-14 days by a video call with specialist psychologists and psychiatrists. This team can diagnose mental health conditions, develop a treatment plan, or act as a valuable second opinion. The mental health nurse then provides follow up support over the next 6-12 months.
“Fast access to diagnosis and treatment is an important part of people getting better before they get worse, and with typical wait times of two to six months through the public system, we feel access within two weeks can make a dramatic difference to a person’s wellbeing,” says Geoff Annals. “Mental Health Navigator is free, and people can access the service without having to leave their own home, an important detail for members who might be fearful of hospital appointments, or have trouble travelling to them.”
“This is the first time such a quick, easy and professional mental health support service has been available to New Zealanders through health insurance. The Accuro Mental Health Navigator joins Best Doctors, SkinVision, our wellbeing Health Hub and bowel cancer screening kits as active benefits that Accuro offers its members in supporting their health before they might need to call us. We call it Active Insurance,” adds Geoff Annals.
You can read the media release here
At Ask we focus on what you need and help you understand what your insurance will do for you.
If you need help with arranging insurance cover in Christchurch then give us a call or get in touch.
Just Ask
A study co-authored by Dr Caroline Shaw from the University of Otago and Professor Alistair Woodward at the University of Auckland has found that Wellington is New Zealand’s ‘fittest city'.
Wellingtonians, it was found, walk more and take more trips by public transport than other New Zealanders.
The ‘Fittest City’ study has been released as part of the New Zealand launch of the world’s largest health and wellbeing programme, AIA Vitality.
“New Zealand cities vary widely, not only in geography, but also in urban planning and transport decision-making. There are consequences for population health, greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollution,” says Professor Alistair Woodward.
Levels of walking, cycling and public transport were used to estimate the effects on health and the environment in the six largest New Zealand cities.
Wellingtonians, it was found, walk more and take more trips by public transport than other New Zealanders.
The ‘Fittest City’ study has been released as part of the New Zealand launch of the world’s largest health and wellbeing programme, AIA Vitality.
“New Zealand cities vary widely, not only in geography, but also in urban planning and transport decision-making. There are consequences for population health, greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollution,” says Professor Alistair Woodward.
Levels of walking, cycling and public transport were used to estimate the effects on health and the environment in the six largest New Zealand cities.
The simplest answer is that you have a greater chance of injury or death from unnatural causes and the higher that chance the more expensive your premium could be. But don't panic we can help!
As insurance brokers it is our job to find the policy that is best for you and your circumstances and we do our best to make your health insurance journey simple and clear for you, in a language you understand.
With that in mind we have put together a list of the common terms you will find in your insurance policy documents that you might want to understand a little better.
With that in mind we have put together a list of the common terms you will find in your insurance policy documents that you might want to understand a little better.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in New Zealand women and The Breast Cancer Foundation New Zealand’s mission is to stop women dying of it.
Fidelity Life, New Zealand’s largest locally owned and operated life insurer and two-time ANZIIF New Zealand Life Insurance Company of the Year, has been awarded the Accessibility Tick.
Having Cancer Cover can help assist you in recovering both physically & financially!!!
Although it remains one of the most common and devastating diseases – cancer isn’t a death sentence by any means. In New Zealand, two-thirds of all serious illness claims are for cancer. Cancer insurance can pay you a lump sum of money if you’re diagnosed with cancer to help you recover physically and financially.
The ASK Team provide advice about Life Insurance, Trauma Insurance, Income Protection, Mortgage Repayment Protection, Health Insurance, Total & Permanent Disablement.
To safeguard your family in the event your unable to work, it's important to protect your income.
Apart from our health our income is our largest asset, something we can't do without!
An insurance broker is a professional adviser, an expert in understanding insurance and risk management. Our job is to find you the right insurance with the right Insurer and help you with any claims. But responsibility for the risk associated with your policy sits with the insurer.
In practice this means that while we work to pair you with the Insurer who’s right for you and work with you if you have to claim, we’re not the ones who pay out when a claim is made.
Life insurance is one of those topics which can seem pretty daunting! There are so many different types of cover out there and it can feel like a never ending list of things to consider. That's why it’s always a good idea to talk to an adviser for help understanding your options - but more about that later! For now, here is a breakdown of what you need to know.
What are your goals? Paying off your mortgage, savings for retirement, health, a beach house?
Think about it for a moment – if your health failed, how would that affect your financial future, or that of your family. Suddenly all of your dreams and plans for the future would need to be seriously revised or may no longer be possible.
The good news is that with the right life insurance you can still protect what you value most – lifestyle, family, health, even the home you live in, no matter what.
