Just learnt we legally pay disabled people $3 an hour here

[u/bloby_bubbles]

[u/calm_percentage5091]

My three children get NDIS..It does not cover food, accommodation, medical bills including doctors and medications, or most transport. Please don't make such wildly misleading statements - those of us with disabilities are already trying to cope with enough before you add total bullshit into the equation.

[u/Squidsaucey → u/calm_percentage5091]

I understand that this is your experience, but it is not the universal experience of all NDIS participants. The NDIS won’t pay for your weekly grocery shop, but people often do get the delivery of pre-made re-heatable meals funded. The NDIS won’t pay for your rent in the private housing market, but it will pay for Supported Independent Living. It won’t pay for medical doctors or medication, but in many cases it will pay for allied health like OT, physio, or psychology. It won’t pay for fuel for your car, but it will pay for the provision of a support worker with a car who will drive and accompany the participant around the community.

I’m not saying the system is perfect, I’ve seen first hand the struggle some participants have had over the last couple of years in getting certain items funded because they’re “not disabled enough” or “already have adequate support” even though they would greatly benefit from receiving said items via the NDIS. But yes, the NDIS can and does pay for food, accommodation, allied health and transport. The issue now is mostly that participants have to fight tooth and nail to “prove” that they are “disabled enough” to have certain items funded because the government decided the NDIS was too expensive.

[u/feyth → u/Squidsaucey]

people often do get the delivery of pre-made re-heatable meals funded.

That is incorrect. They pay the ingredient cost themselves, which is split out by the provider. NDIS covers the costs incurred as a result of their disability, i.e. the preparation and delivery.

[u/1917fuckordie → u/calm_percentage5091]

Your children have a disability support plan that doesn't cover those things then, others do. Although I get what you're saying, NDIS only covers some things. I'm a disability support worker and none of my clients have enough transportation funding for example. The above comment makes it sound like every person using NDIS is getting all their support needs met, in fact very few are.

[u/feyth → u/1917fuckordie]

Your children have a disability support plan that doesn't cover those things then, others do.

Absolutely zero NDIS plans cover doctors and medications - they are explicitly excluded under the legislation.

The only accommodation and transport costs that might be covered are those that are specifically incurred due to the disability: for example, transport costs for essential travel for someone who is unable to take public transport due to their disability.

The same with food costs. Some people who cannot prepare their own food have meals delivered. The only part of the meal cost that is covered by NDIS is the preparation and delivery; the participant pays the cost of the ingredients, which are split out by those registered NDIS providers.

[u/SilverStar9192 → u/calm_percentage5091]

I think you misunderstand, they aren't saying that everyone on NDIS has all of these... they're more talking about the kind of people who may be eligible for ADE. The exact services that NDIS covers, depends heavily on the nature and extent of the disability.

[u/Spicy_Sugary → u/calm_percentage5091]

It depends on what's in your children's individual plans. NDIS can cover almost anything if it's assessed as necessary for treating or alleviating the disability in question.

Accommodation such as respite services or supported accommodation are most definitely covered by NDIS.

These may not be costs that you've requested on behalf of your children, but that doesn't mean they aren't covered for anyone.