What is the NDIS?
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provides individualised support for eligible Australians with disability, and their families and carers.
The NDIS funds a range of supports including Assistive Technology, Auslan services and Early Intervention programs. For more information, please visit the NDIS website.
Your hearing services
The Hearing Services Program and NDIS fund public hearing services in Australia. The Hearing Services Program funds hearing services for Australians who meet its eligibility criteria, and the NDIS funds hearing supports for NDIS participants aged 26 years and over who are not eligible for the Hearing Services Program.
The NDIS may also fund additional supports for some participants that are not available through the Hearing Services Program.
The questions and answers below are designed to help you understand more about what this means for you and your family.
Who can apply for NDIS?
- Children & young adults under 26 years eligible for Hearing Services Program (HSP)
- Australians aged 26 - 64 years eligible for the Community Service Obligations (CSO) component of the HSP
- Australians aged 26 - 64 years eligible for the Voucher Program
- NDIS participants with an NDIS plan and not eligible for Hearing Services Program
We're here to help
If you’d like to talk about your services, or go through your options, please call our hearing centre team on 134 432 or email us at enquiry@hearing.com.au
What hearing services are available under the Hearing Services Program (HSP)?
The HSP provides a suite of hearing services and supports to eligible clients to assist with hearing loss including:
- Hearing assessments and annual reviews.
- Strategies to help manage your hearing loss in different environments.
- Fitting and follow up services including a fully subsidised device, or a subsidy towards a partially subsidised devices.
- Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs) such as streaming devices or other Bluetooth enabled hearing devices.
- Repairs and maintenance of your hearing device including batteries and earmoulds.
What additional supports might be funded under the NDIS?
All requests for NDIS funded supports are considered on an individual basis and may be funded under the NDIS where the support is considered reasonable and necessary. The provision of Assistive Technology not provided through the HSP would be one example of supports considered for funding by the NDIS.
How does the NDIS affect Hearing Australia clients?
The NDIS provides eligible Hearing Australia clients with the ability to receive additional supports that are not available through the Hearing Services Program.
Hearing Australia is a registered provider under the NDIS and if you’re a current Hearing Australia client, you will continue to receive the same level of hearing services regardless of whether or not you are an NDIS participant.
Children and young adults under 26 years old eligible for the Hearing Services Program
For children and young adults under 26 years of age who are eligible for specialist hearing services through the Hearing Services Program (HSP)
Eligible children and young adults under 26 years of age with hearing loss can receive government funded services and devices under the Community Service Obligations (CSO) component of the Hearing Services Program (HSP). Find out more about the Hearing Services Program (HSP) for young adults here.
Services under this program includes:
- Fully government subsidised hearing devices and ongoing audiological services
- Upgraded and replacement speech processors for cochlear implantable devices
- Repairs and maintenance for your devices
- Ongoing services and support to assist your (or your family member’s) hearing loss
If you are also eligible for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), you may be able to receive funding for additional reasonable and necessary supports that are not available through Hearing Australia. For example, specialist Early Intervention services, Auslan services, programs that help young people to improve their participation in education, work or social activities and some assistive technology such as alerting systems. Further information is available on the NDIS website.
Australians aged 26 to 64 years eligible for the Community Service (CSO) component of the Hearing Services Program
For Australians aged 26 to 64 years of age who are eligible for specialist hearing services from Hearing Australia through the Community Service Obligations (CSO) component of the Hearing Services Program (HSP)
You can continue to receive government funded hearing services through Hearing Australia.
This includes:
- Fully government subsidised hearing devices (excluding cochlear implant speech processors)
- Ongoing hearing services and support
If you are also eligible for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), you may be able to receive funding for additional reasonable and necessary supports that are not available through Hearing Australia. For example, this may include alerting devices and programs that help adults improve their social skills and work participation. NDIS planners and Local Area Coordinators work with NDIS participants to develop individual plans that provide funding for the right supports and services for each participant. Further information is available on the NDIS website.
NDIS participants with an NDIS plan and not eligible for the Hearing Services Program after 1 July 2020
For NDIS participants who already have an NDIS plan and who are not eligible for the Hearing Services Program (HSP) after 1 July 2020
Your hearing services will be funded through both the Hearing Services Program (HSP) and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) from 1 July 2020. If you have a current HSP voucher, it will remain valid until your next NDIS Plan review at which time you can discuss your support options with your Planner. If you are Cochlear Implant user - once your voucher has expired, you will need to access all maintenance and support services for your cochlear implant from your implant clinic.
Since Hearing Australia is both a HSP provider and a registered NDIS provider,
if you are a hearing aid user in one or both ears you have the option to continue to receive the same level of care and support from us, funded through the HSP or your NDIS plan.
This includes:
- Reasonable and necessary hearing services and devices
- Maintenance of your hearing devices and the cost of batteries
You may be able to receive funding for additional disability related supports that are not covered under the HSP, such as alerting devices. NDIS planners and Local Area Coordinators work with NDIS participants to develop individual plans that provide funding for the right supports and services for each participant. Further information is available on the NDIS website.
Where can I get more information about the NDIS?
You can learn more about the NDIS at www.ndis.gov.au, by calling the NDIS call centre on 1800 800 110 or visit the NDIS office in your local community.
