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Understanding the NDIS: how does the scheme work and am I eligible for funding?

Carmel Laragy writes in The Conversation (6.7.16) about the commencement of the NDIS scheme, as part of a series of articles about how the system will work and who can benefit from increased disability support.

‘The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has been trialled in selected Australian sites over the past three years. It is now providing funding packages to more than 25,000Australians under 65 who have a permanent impairment that substantially reduces their intellectual, cognitive, neurological, sensory, physical, psychological and social functioning.

‘The number receiving the packages is expected to grow to about 460,000 when the scheme becomes fully operational in July 2019. When NDIS participants turn 65, they have the option to stay in the scheme or receive support through aged care services. People who develop impairments from 65 years onwards receive aged care support.

‘There are 4.3 million Australians aged 16 to 65 with disability and many will not meet the criteria to be eligible for the NDIS. They may still receive assistance through the scheme’s newly introduced program providing information, linkages and referrals to connect people with disability, their families and carers with community and mainstream supports.’

‘Dehumanising’ and ‘a nightmare’: why disability groups want NDIS independent assessments scrapped

Helen Dickinson writes in The Conversation (12.3.21) about problems with access to the NDIS, in particular the system of independent assessments which disability groups want to see stopped.

‘A coalition of more than 20 disability organisations released a statement yesterday setting out significant concerns over the federal government’s plans to introduce independent assessments to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

‘The government says this new approach is aimed at making the NDIS fairer. But many people with disability think it is about cost-cutting. They also say an independent assessment is a “nightmare” process that doesn’t produce an accurate picture of people’s lives.

‘If the government is trying to make the NDIS fairer, there are better ways.’

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