Funding

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The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is an Australian government program that provides support and services to individuals with disabilities. It operates on a person-centered approach, aiming to empower participants by giving them greater choice and control over their supports. Speech pathology access under the NDIS involves assessment and therapy for individuals who have difficulty with communication or swallowing. To access speech pathology services, individuals need to meet the eligibility criteria for the NDIS and undergo an assessment to determine their specific needs. Once approved, participants can use their individualized funding package to access speech pathology services from registered speech pathologists.

At Teletalk, we support Self Managed and Plan Managed NDIS participants.

Accessing speech pathology services in Australia through private health insurance offers individuals the opportunity to broaden options and receive additional coverage for services. To access speech pathology through your private health fund, review your policy to confirm if speech pathology services are included in your coverage. If necessary, consider upgrading your policy to include this coverage, however, be aware of waiting periods, as private health insurance often requires a waiting period before you can claim benefits for specific services like speech pathology.

After receiving services, you can claim expenses by submitting invoices or receipts to your insurer.

For detailed information on your policy's coverage, claiming procedures, and associated costs, contact your private health insurance provider directly. 

Speech pathology services can be subsidised through the Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) plan or the Chronic Disease Management (CDM) plan, also known as the "135 plan." To access a plan, consult your General Practitioner (GP): and schedule an appointment to discuss your speech concerns. If eligible, your GP will provide a referral to a speech pathologist, specifying the number of sessions covered by the plan. EPC plans allow 5 sessions per calendar year for Allied Health Services, such as speech pathology (Rebate of $54.60). 135 plans allow up to 4 allied health assessments in total in addition to 20 allied health treatment services in total per child (Rebate $74.80). 

Pay session fees and obtain an invoice, then submit the invoice to Medicare for a rebate, which covers a portion of the cost based on the plan's provisions.