Total Permanent Disability: A Complete Guide to Access Your NDIS Plan

What is the Total Permanent Disability?

When a person is impaired to such an extent that their disability continues to exist permanently throughout their life, they will be considered to be a person with a total permanent disability.

Permanent loss can either be the result of losing one or both limbs, like hands or legs, loss of eyesight, or the result of being helpless or bedridden.

Sometimes, people suffering from acute infectious diseases or who have suffered accidents or sustained injuries may not be considered or granted total permanent disability status unless they meet particular criteria.

It could be a particular combination of conditions that results in total permanent disability. It can either be caused by grave injuries or diseases resulting in disability, or by temporary symptoms leading to extreme effects.

What is NDIS?

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) offers support to people with disabilities, their families, and carers. Introduced in July 2016, NDIS is jointly governed and funded by the Australian Government and its participating states and territories. To receive support from the NDIS, a person must meet certain conditions, like:

• Residing in areas with NDIS availability

• Citizenship, permanent residency, or a Protected Special Category Visa holder in Australia

• Satisfying the requirements of disability or early intervention

• age to be under 65 years during the application

Applications for NDIS individualised support are sent to the NDIS.

Once approved, those found eligible are considered NDIS participants, and their validity status remains for life.

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What Kind of Individualised Support Can be Availed from the NDIS?

NDIS participants can avail themselves of support regarding funding in categories such as educational needs, employment support, community participation, independent living, accommodation support, and general health and wellbeing.

This may include

• Day-to-day personal activities

• Transportation assistance to participate in community activities as well as other socioeconomic and daily life activities

• Workplace assistance to keep their jobs, or support in seeking new job opportunities.

• Psychological and therapeutic support

• Assistance with household tasks and daily chores at home

• Service of skilled individuals for arranging supplies and training needs

• Help for home improvement and other construction

• Transport equipment for easy mobility

• Modifications to vehicles

Ailments that Meet the Disability Requirements in Section 24 of the NDIS Act

• Intellectual disability
• Autism
• Cerebral palsy
• Genetic conditions
• Spinal cord injury or brain injury
• Permanent blindness
• Permanent bilateral hearing loss
• Deafblindness
• Amputation

The Process

NDIS participants typically meet with the NDIA to identify the essential support needed to achieve their goals.

Thus, a personalised NDIS plan is generated, wherein participants can plan and have control regarding the delivery of support.

Participants, their nominees, the NDIA, and registered plan providers are entitled to manage the funds provided under an NDIS plan.

How Much Does the NDIS Cost?

The cost of the NDIS has increased substantially over the years, reaching $21.6 billion in 2019–20 since its inception in 2016. However, the Australian government is liable for just over half ($11.2 billion) of the scheme’s annual cost.

The projected annual cost will be lower than the estimated amount spent by the Australian Government on aged care or the Disability Support Pension (DSP). It is currently higher than the present annual cost of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and Medicare.

Conditions Must be Met in Order to be Eligible for the NDIS

Certain disability requirements need to be met by prospective participants in order to avail services from the NDIS, like:

• The disability that can be classified as having one or more intellectual, cognitive, neurological, sensory, physical, or psychiatric impairments;

• Permanent impairments

• Impairments resulting in decreased functional capacity or psychosocial functioning and participation in one or more of the following activities:

1. communication;
2. social interaction;
3. learning;
4. mobility;
5. self-care;
6. self-management

Easy Steps to Navigate Through the NDIS

1) Plan ahead of time

Discover the process behind the NDIS and its benefits and look at what fits you best.

• Check your eligibility and access the NDIS website to apply directly.

• Check and prepare an NDIS Checklist, and set your goals to prepare for your first planning meeting.

• Schedule your planning meeting by reaching out to your local area coordinator (LAC).

2) Schedule your planning meeting.

After preparing for your planning meeting, pick an NDIS plan that works best for you.

• Get your checklist ready, along with other supporting documents, for your reference during the meeting.

• Tag along with your best friend or family member for support.

• Remember to take notes of the important points discussed at your meeting.

• Be precise regarding your needs and goals for the best understanding of your requirements for the LAC.

3) Be aware of your strategy

Read the NDIS plan draught properly to verify the details and determine if the funds allocated are benefiting your objectives. You can always review your plan with your LAC in case you have concerns regarding it. Inform the service providers after you receive your plan.

4) Manage your NDIS finances properly

Make sure you keep track of your expenditure and ensure the payments for the service providers are made on time. Pick a plan manager after setting up a service agreement to help you navigate through the services and delivery.

5) Coordination of support

Decide on a service provider with whom you can connect and who can motivate you to attain your goals. Do the research and pick the best ones near your area, and ensure that a service agreement has been made regarding their costs and the services they will be providing.

6) Follow the plan’s progression.

Once all the above have been fulfilled, it’s time to sit back, relax and start enjoying the benefits of the NDIS plan. Remember to keep track of all your invoices and records pertaining to support received, and also track the budget to prevent unnecessary expenditures.

7) Review of the annual plan

Over time, our goals tend to change; this is where the annual plan review comes in handy. It is a chance to check the relevance of the support that the participant has been receiving and to review it to include more services. Make sure you have an idea of the things you would like to revise and their reasons. Prepare a checklist and share it with your LAC to understand your goals for the revised plan.

Legacy Care Solutions provides all the necessary support required for prospective participants to navigate through the NDIS by providing services like Plan Management, Support Coordination, Social Community Participation, Household Tasks, Transportation, and many more. Click here to get in touch with us and discuss the perfect NDIS plan for your loved ones.