Funding options
Kerri-anne Telford Paediatric Occupational Therapy is registered to provide services through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), Medicare and major private health insurance extras (if you have taken out cover that includes occupational therapy).
Please see below for funding options that maybe available to you.
Please note that a referral is not required to commence therapy, however, we welcome the below plans at any time.
National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
Early childhood approach (younger than 7 years old)
Our nationally consistent early childhood approach is for children younger than 7 with a disability or a developmental delay, and their families. Children, younger than 6 who do not fully meet the definition of developmental delay and have developmental concerns will also be supported through the early childhood approach. The early childhood approach was developed based on evidence-based research with the help of leading experts in early childhood intervention.
More information:
To connect with your early childhood parter, click here.
NDIS support (7 years and older)
To be eligible for the NDIS your child must be aged seven years or over and they must have a permanent and significant disability that affects their ability to take part in every day activities.
More information:
To view the eligibility criteria, click here.
To connect with your local area coordinator partners, click here.
Mental Health Care Plan
The GP Mental Health Care Plan is a part of the Better access to Mental Health Care initiative. Medicare rebates are available for patients to receive up to 10 services per calendar year. Rebates under this plan are only available for occupational therapy sessions where the child is present.
Rebates may be available for clients with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), which can be related to anxiety, struggle coping with school, obsessive-compulsive behaviour, other behavioural issues, anger management, attention, sleep and self-esteem issues. Young children with SPD are also often eligible for this, as they are at-risk for major issues in the future. This needs to be discussed with your GP.
Who can refer:
Referrals can be made by a GP or a paediatrician
More information:
Please refer to the Department of Health website.
*Please note not all therapists are registered to provide services under this plan.
Chronic Disease Management Plan
Rebates under this plan are available for occupational therapy as long as the child is present. Note that it only covers a portion of the therapy cost. Refer to the Department of Health and Ageing’s website for details of rebate amounts.
This plan is available for those with a chronic condition, defined as a medical condition that is ongoing for at least six months. The client must need at least two allied health professionals to be eligible for this plan. Children with learning difficulties and motor or developmental delays are often eligible here if they meet the criteria. Medicare rebates are for up to five eligible sessions per calendar year. The sessions can be made up of five of one type of service (e.g. OT) or a combination of different types of service (eg. 1 dietician, 1 speech pathology and 3 OT sessions).
Who can refer:
Referrals can only be made by a GP.
More information:
Please refer to the Department of Health website.
Autism - Helping Children with Autism program
The Medicare items available through the Helping Children with Autism program are early intervention services for children undergoing diagnosis/assessment or treatment for autism or any other PDD. Children can access the autism Medicare services providing they have not already accessed services under the Better Start for Children with a Disability initiative and providing they meet the requirements of each service.
Medicare Rebates
Medicare rebates can be accessed by children under 15 years with the same medical conditions as above, as long they received a diagnosis prior to 13 years of age.
A referral under this plan can either be for assistance with the diagnosis process (up to four sessions), or for treatment after receiving diagnosis (up to 20 sessions). Note that these sessions cannot be renewed annually, and can be used for other allied health services as well as OT (with the total number of services not exceeding four and/or 20).
Who can refer:
An eligible consultant paediatrician or psychiatrist.
More information:
Funding for children with autism under Medicare – see the Department of Health’s website.