Funding Options for Incontinence Products
Incontinence products can be expensive, intimidating and confusing, at Paralogic we try to reduce costs and simplify ordering as much as possible.
There are several national and state-based schemes that can assist with covering the cost of incontinence products. Unfortunately, Medicare and private health funds do not cover the cost of incontinence products.
National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
Continence Aids Payments Scheme (CAPS)
The Department of Veteran’s Affairs (DVA)
State Funding Schemes - Disability
State Funding Schemes - Motor Vehicle Accidents
National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
The NDIS is a national scheme that provides funding for people with a disability. To be eligible for the NDIS you must by aged between 9 and 65, be an Australian citizen (or meet other criteria), live in Australia and have a disability caused by a permanent impairment.
If you meet these criteria and have urinary or faecal incontinence because of your disability, the NDIS may fund continence products including pads and nappies, bedding and chair protection, catheters, bags, bottles, straps or tape.
The NDIS will use reports from a continence nurse or other suitably qualified health professional to work out whether continence products meet the NDIS funding criteria for you. The NDIS may fund a continence assessment, which will include preparing a continence plan, working out what products you need and completing reviews of your continence plan.
The best way to get up-to-date information on the NDIS is to visit their website www.ndis.gov.au where they will guide you in creating, using and changing a plan.
Paralogic is a registered NDIS provider. That means, once you are an approved participant with a plan, you can order from us and we will invoice the NDIS directly. You can also choose to self-manage your NDIS funds (where you order and pay from us and then send the invoice to the NDIS for reimbursement) or you can use a 3rd party to manage your NDIS funding and we will invoice them directly. Please visit our NDIS information page or contact us for more information.
MORE INFORMATION - www.ndis.gov.au
Continence Aids Payments Scheme (CAPS)
CAPS is a yearly non-taxable payment to cover some of the cost of products that help you manage incontinence.
To get this you must be 5 years or older, have permanent and severe incontinence confirmed by a registered health professional and be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or have permanent residency rights for as long as you get the payment.
The 2023-24 payment rate for CAPS is up to $676.50 per person. You can receive your CAPS payment as either, an annual payment, paid to you in July at the start of each financial year or a bi-annual payment, paid to you in July and January each year and CAPS funding is paid directly into your bank account. You can then use these funds to purchase directly from Paralogic.
You can apply online via your MyGov linked Medicare account, but you do need to have a registered health professional complete part of your CAPS application.
MORE INFORMATION - www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/continence-aids-payment-scheme
My Aged Care
My Aged Care is a scheme funded by the Australian government with the aim to support Australians as they age including, short-term care, entry-level support at home, home care packages and care in an aged care home.
To receive My Aged Care funding, you must be 65 years or older (50 years or older for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people), apply for and undergo an assessment. Depending on the results of your assessment, an appropriate level of care will be suggested for you.
Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP)
The Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) helps older Australians access entry-level support services to live independently and safely at home. CHSP works with you to maintain your independence rather than doing things for you. The CHSP can supply continence advisor services.
Home Care Packages (HCP)
Home Care Packages are allocated across four levels and are assigned according to need.
- Home Care Package Level 1, aged care services for people with basic care needs
- Home Care Package Level 2, aged care services for people with low-level care needs.
- Home Care Package Level 3, aged care services for people with intermediate care needs.
- Home Care Package Level 4, aged care services for people with high-level care needs.
The higher your support requirements, the higher the Home Care Package level allocated. After you are assessed, you will receive notification of which level you have been recommended for. Each level includes a government contribution and a contribution made by you, and will be means and asset assessed.
Once approved for a Home Care Package, you choose a home care provider, who can assist you with the services you need. Home care package funds can be used for continence management including assistance in using continence aids and appliances such as disposable pads and absorbent aids, commode chairs, bedpans and urinals, catheter and urinary drainage appliances. These requirements should be discussed during the assessment and with the chosen home care provider.
Residential Aged Care (aged care home)
An aged care home (sometimes known as a nursing home or residential aged care facility) is for older people who can no longer live at home and need ongoing help with everyday tasks or health care. Aged care homes provide all care and services required to meet your needs. This includes supporting your health, wellbeing, social life, and safety.
MORE INFORMATION - www.myagedcare.gov.au
The Department of Veteran’s Affairs (DVA)
Eligible veterans can apply for funding for continence products under the Rehabilitation Appliances Program (RAP). To be eligible for this program a DVA client must have a clinical need and a Gold Card or a White Card with an accepted condition relating to the clinical need for the prescribed products. A form will need to be completed by a suitable health provider and the products they prescribe will be provided for 2 years, after which a new assessment is required.
Once your forms have been submitted and accepted by the DVA, up to 3 months’ worth of products will be supplied at one time. Orders must be placed via a specific form and ordered from either Independence Australia or Bright Sky. Both of these companies’ stock Paralogic branded products, but not necessarily our entire range. If there is a product that is not on the list of contracted items, contact DVA via email RAPGeneralEnquiries@dva.gov.au to discuss this request. We at Paralogic we will do all we can to support your wish to choose particular products.
MORE INFORMATION - www.dva.gov.au
State Funding Schemes
Many states and territories operate their own schemes to provide funding to those living in their communities. Most of these schemes will not provide funding if you are eligible for assistance through national schemes such as CAPS, the NDIS or My Aged Care. People wishing to access these schemes should reach out to their doctor, continence nurse or community health centre.
ACT - ACT Equipment Scheme (ACTES)
ACTES provides equipment, aids and appliances to eligible people in the ACT who have a life-long or long-term disability.
MORE INFORMATION - www.canberrahealthservices.act.gov.au
NSW – ENABLE
EnableNSW provides assistive technology and related services to people in NSW with specific, short term or ongoing health needs to assist them to live safely at home. EnableNSW policy requires eligible consumers to use CAPS assistance each year before accessing assistance through EnableNSW.
MORE INFORMATION - www.enable.health.nsw.gov.au
NT - Territory Equipment Program (TEP)
The Territory Equipment Program, provides community equipment and aids to children and adults who live in the community and have a functional impairment that requires prescribed equipment, aids and appliances that assist in maintaining and improving their capacity to live and participate in everyday activities. Participants need to have a permanent moderate to severe incontinence and have exhausted, or be ineligible for CAPS funding.
MORE INFORMATION - health.nt.gov.au
WA - Childrens Product Subsidy
WA Concessions runs an Incontinence Pad Scheme - Children Product Subsidy. This scheme is for children who are incontinent and allows a product subsidy of up to $490 per year to assist families with meeting the cost of continence products for their children.
MORE INFORMATION - concessions.communities.wa.gov.au/concessions
WA - Continence Management and Support Scheme (CMASS)
Silver Chain delivers a continence management and advice service at clinics in Western Australia, through which individuals are assessed. Specialist nurses can also provide advice on how to best manage and improve your bladder or bowel condition. If continence products are required, CMASS can assist with accessing a subsidy of up to $490 per year.
MORE INFORMATION - concessions.communities.wa.gov.au
QLD - Medical Aids Subsidy Scheme (MASS)
In QLD, the Medical Aids Subsidy Scheme (MASS) provides funding for medical aids and equipment to eligible residents who have a permanent and stabilised condition or a disability. The scheme helps people to live at home and avoid early or inappropriate residential care or hospitalisation. MASS supplies participants with goods up to prescribed levels instead of a dollar amount of funds. However, these goods come from a limited list of products that must be purchased from specific distributors and do not currently include Paralogic.
MORE INFORMATION - www.health.qld.gov.au/mass
TASMANIA - Medical aids and equipment (TasEquip)
TasEquip is a state-wide equipment scheme that provides a range of assistive technology to eligible Tasmanians to improve their ability to safely engage in basic, everyday tasks, to transition home from acute care or to access mandated education settings. TasEquip supplies equipment that may assist with incontinence, but personal contact is required to discuss whether they will supply products.
MORE INFORMATION - www.health.tas.gov.au
VICTORIA - State-wide Equipment Program (SWEP)
The Continence Aids Program through SWEP provides people with a permanent or long-term disability, as well as those who are frail aged with funding towards the cost of continence items. A maximum subsidy level of up to $1200 applies over a twelve-month period. If you are receiving assistance from the CAPS program it is still possible to receive SWEP funding. SWEP generates and maintains a list of preferred providers and contracted items. The SWEP Contracted continence items picklist & Catalogue (https://swep.bhs.org.au/picklists-catalogue.php) includes some Paralogic branded items, but not all of them. We have had success in the past at having our items added to the SWEP Pick List if you prefer them and can work with you to help facilitate this.
MORE INFORMATION - swep.bhs.org.au
State Funding Schemes – Motor Accidents
Several states have bodies funded by car registration and insurance costs that contribute towards care of those injured in motor accidents
NSW -icare
The Lifetime Care and Support Scheme pays for treatment, rehabilitation and care for people who have been severely injured in a motor accident in NSW.
MORE INFORMATION - www.icare.nsw.gov.au
QLD - National Injury Insurance Scheme, Queensland (NIISQ)
The National Injury Insurance Scheme (NIISQ) is a no-fault Scheme which provides eligible people with necessary and reasonable treatment, care and support, in some cases for their lifetime.
MORE INFORMATION - niis.qld.gov.au
TAS – Motor Accidents Insurance Board (MAIB)
The MAIB provides insurance cover for those who are injured in a motor accident. Funding for this compensation is provided by Tasmanian motorists through the payment of compulsory premiums on registered motor vehicles. MAIB pay for a range of treatment and support services for eligible people who have been injured regardless of fault.
MORE INFORMATION - maib.tas.gov.au
VICTORIA – The Transport Accident Commission (TAC)
The TAC is a Victorian Government-owned organisation whose role is to promote road safety, support those who have been injured on our roads and help them get their lives back on track.
MORE INFORMATION - www.tac.vic.gov.au