Understanding the NDIS: How the Scheme Works & its Benefits

There are around 4.3 million Australians who have a disability. The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is Australia’s latest support system for people aged under 65 with a permanent and significant disability, which affects their ability to take part in everyday activities.

The NDIS was established in response to a 2011 Productivity Commission report by the Australian Government which found disability services were underfunded, unfair, fragmented and inefficient.

The commission recommended a new system of flexible individual funding packages that could be used to purchase disability supports.

How does the NDIS help people with a Permanent Disability?

The NDIS is helping people with a permanent and significant disability live life more independently through personalised, flexible support and funding packages.

Through funding for supports and services, the NDIS is helping people live more independently in several ways by:

• Finding ongoing employment
• Achieving their personal goals and aspirations
• Connecting to social and community groups

How does the NDIS Scheme Work?

The NDIS provides people with information and connections to services in their communities such as doctors, sporting clubs, support groups, libraries and schools. If you are eligible for the NDIS and have received your ‘access decision’ letter, the next step is creating your NDIS plan.

Your plan is a written agreement worked out for you. Everyone has a different plan depending on their individual needs and circumstances in life like your personal goals and what you’d like to achieve.

There are four plan management options to choose from:

1. Agency Managed

Agency managed plans are managed directly by the NDIA (National Disability Insurance Agency). The NDIA is then responsible for directly paying providers for any equipment or services you book with them.

2. Self-Managed

If you feel confident in organising your own services, you can choose to manage your own plan yourself. You are responsible for the funding in your plan and will need to manage receipts, invoices and bookings yourself.

3. Plan Managed

You can opt for a third party to manage your plan on your behalf as a ‘plan manager.’ This could be an accountant or a plan management organisation. You will have to pay a fee to your plan manager for their services but it’s also possible to receive funding in your plan for plan management.

4. A combination of the Above

You may choose a combination of the above if for example you want to self-manage your equipment budget, but you want to leave service bookings and payments to someone else.

Who is Eligible for the NDIS?

To be eligible to access the NDIS you must:

Have a permanent disability which significantly impacts your daily activities

• Be under 65 years of age
• Be an Australian citizen, resident or permanent visa holder
• Meet the individual eligibility requirements determined by the NDIA

To check whether you’re eligible, you can review the eligibility checklist on the NDIS online.

What does the NDIS Cover in Funding?

Your funding limit is based on what is reasonable and necessary for your needs, in addition to the support provided by family, friends and other community and government services that you need to live your life and achieve your goals. Core support budgets are flexible depending on which areas you need to focus on more. Core Budgets cover:

• Daily Activities e.g. assistance with household cleaning
• Consumables e.g. everyday items you may need such as continence pads or mobility aids
• Social Community and Civic Participation e.g. a support worker to assist you with socialising
• Transport e.g. modes of getting to work (this varies from person to person)

What Products can I access under the NDIS through Life Mobility?

The NDIS covers mobility equipment and aids to help you get about more easily. This includes:

• Mobility Scooters & Powerchairs
• Wheelchairs & Ramps
• Walking Aids
• Lifters & Transfer Aids
• Bathroom & Toilet Aids
• Pressure Care Aids
• Compression & Protective Garments

Life Mobility works closely with the NDIS to help customers receive the right mobility products to improve their lifestyle. If you have an NDIS plan, fill out our enquiry form online, contact our team or visit us in store to find out more information about our products.

Choosing Mobility Scooter Mornington Peninsula and Electric Bed Melbourne

Choosing Mobility scooter Mornington Peninsula and Electric bed Melbourne and any other mobility equipment can be very hard especially if you don’t know much about them. You need to be very careful to end up with the best equipment that will satisfy your needs effectively. We give you some tips to help you make the right choice. There are many things you have to consider when choosing such equipment. Some of these tips will definitely advise you on such factors to consider as well.

When choosing Mobility scooter Mornington Peninsula and Electric bed Melbourne, you should consult your doctor. This is because the doctor will be able to advise you on the right equipment for your disability. They might know your problem better. They’ve also learnt about such equipment and they definitely know the best for your disability. You should therefore consult the physician who has been taking care of your problem or just any other competent one for further advice before making your purchase.

You should also find out if the insurance cover will cater for your Mobility scooter Mornington Peninsula and Electric bed Melbourne. This equipment come in different types with varied pricing. You should therefore try to find out the one that can easily be paid for through the insurance cover if you don’t want to commit your own money. It can be very helpful especially if you are in need of the equipment and you don’t have enough funds then the insurance can actually come in to offer you the funding.

You have to consider the pricing of your Mobility scooter Mornington Peninsula and Electric bed Melbourne. If the equipment will not be funded by your medical insurance cover then you have to pay for it. You will require enough money to purchase such equipment for your disabled member or for yourself. Even though they come in different prices, there is actually one that you will be able to afford. Maybe you already have a budget with the amount of money you are willing to commit for such equipment. You don’t have to worry because they are very affordable.

You should also consider the quality of the Mobility scooter Mornington Peninsula and Electric bed Melbourne that you want to purchase. What is their lifespan? You need to know how long they will be able to serve you before you budget for a new one. You should go for high quality products that can last for long enough. This will save you a lot of money as you won’t be replacing the equipment every now and again.

You should also consider the reputation of the manufacturing company for your Mobility scooter Mornington Peninsula and Electric bed Melbourne. This will give you an idea if they are making strong products that are worth your money. They should also be reliable enough to deal with. You can actually find out from other people who have benefited from such equipment before to get an idea if they are good and long lasting or not.