01/10/2024
People with disability now know exactly what supports they can and can't claim on the government's support funding scheme.
For the first time, the federal government on Tuesday released a list of resources National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants can spend their money on.
The list will come into effect from Thursday, though there will be a one-year transition period so participants who have planned to access supports no longer on the list will be able to keep those until the expiry of their plan.
This update would help return the scheme to its original purpose and ensure it wasn't paying for supports that should be covered by Australia's other care systems or shouldn't be covered at all, NDIS Minister Bill Shorten said.
"This scheme is going to be run properly, transparently, and in the best interest of participants, not some service providers who are selling therapies which we cannot find much in the way of a scientific or evidence basis," Mr Shorten told reporters in Canberra.
"They're selling snake oil. They're selling stuff which, frankly, doesn't work.
"What this does is it gives all Australians confidence that the cowboys and fly-by-nighters can't sell their nonsense and be subsidised to do so."
The NDIS will continue to cover supports such as assistance animals, access to employment or higher education, help for travel and daily tasks and a host of other resources.
But costs such as rent, holidays and alternative practices including tarot card reading, shamanic healing and hypnotherapy can no longer be claimed.
Fertility treatments and specific wellness and coaching supports such as sports supplements and life coaches have also been ruled out.
If people continue to claim items that are not NDIS supports despite being provided with information and advice, remedial action will be taken.
The government will also provide a substitution list so participants can request a replacement support in cases where a standard household item might be able to provide them with better outcomes.
"There'll be a fair bit of common sense," Mr Shorten said.
The lists are the result of a month-long public consultation which received more than 7000 responses from the public, organisations and peak disability bodies.
Though they are believed to help with the NDIS's ballooning costs, the government hasn't banked any savings from the lists. - AAP
