Funding options for families
We understand that Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy services can seem expensive, as a Private Health service we receive no funding from the government and this is reflected in the cost of our services.
In order to help you with the costs associated with attending Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy, below is a list of the financial assistance measures that the government has made available. Parents who are eligible and seeking early intervention services through allied health (Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy) for their child, can receive a range of government assistance payments.
The following payments may apply to you and your child’s circumstances, with eligibility being determined by your GP or an Autism Advisor in most cases. Your child may be eligible for any of the following payments; in certain cases it is possible to be eligible for them all.
Private Health Insurance
Speech Pathology and Occupational Therapy services are covered under many health fund plans.
It is best to check your specific level of cover to establish your rebate entitlement. The following item numbers will help your fund identify if you are covered.
- 320 is the item number for a Speech Pathology Assessment (Face to face consultations)
- 340 is the item number for a Speech Pathology Consultation (Face to face consultations)
- 100 is the item number for an Occupational Therapy Assessment (Face to face consultations and online consultations)
- 250 is the item number for an Occupational Therapy Consultation (Face to face consultations and online consultations)
- 501 is the item number for a Speech Pathology Assessment (online consultation)
- 502 is the item number for a Speech Pathology Consultation (online consultation)
For face-to-face consultations, we can process your health fund claim on the spot, provided you have your health fund card with you. This means when you attend an appointment, all you will need to do is pay the gap between your health fund benefit and our fee. For online consults, we will provide you with a receipt where you can claim directly through your health fund provider.
Chronic Disease Management Plan
The Chronic Disease Management Plan (CDM) provides Medicare rebates for children who have a chronic medical condition and/or complex care needs.
Your child may be eligible to claim a rebate through Medicare for these services if your child has a chronic medical condition that is being managed by your GP. A chronic medical condition is one that has been or will be present for at least 6 months.
If deemed eligible, your GP will provide you with a referral form which you will need to bring with you to your appointment. Once you have given us the form your child will be eligible to claim a rebate for up to 5 sessions per calendar year.
Services provided by Chatterbox will need to be paid in full, however we can process an on the spot claim for you provided you have your Medicare card and an Eftpos card with you.
The Medicare rebate is currently $56 per service as of 01/07/2022
Chatterbox charges an administration fee for each service attended under this program due to the amount of paperwork that Medicare requires us to undertake for these services.
Helping Children with Autism (HCWA)
Helping Children with Autism (HCWA) is a funding scheme for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), or Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) to access early intervention services. It is currently provided in the form of a Medicare rebate for assessment and treatment of children with a diagnosis of ASD and PDD through the private allied health sector.
Eligible children are entitled to 20 sessions for Allied Health intervention (therapy). These rebated sessions are available once only, and once used, cannot be claimed again.
If you think your child may have ASD or PDD then consult your General Practitioner (GP). Your GP will provide you with a referral to see a psychiatrist or paediatrician if appropriate. If the psychiatrist or paediatrician decides to investigate further, you will be provided with a referral to an Allied Health Professional who will assist in the diagnosis and treatment of your child.
If your child already has a diagnosis your existing psychiatrist or paediatrician will be able to provide you with a referral in order to access the Medicare rebate.
The Medicare rebate is currently $77.80 per service as of 01/07/2022
National Disability Insurance Scheme – NDIS funding
NDIS is a funding scheme for children to access early intervention services and for children who have been diagnosed with a disability. Your child must first be assessed against the access requirements in order to see if they are eligible for funding. At Chatterbox we only accept Self Managed NDIS Plans.
The government recognises the importance of early intervention and support people when there is good evidence that this will improve an area of functioning or delay or lessen the decline in functioning.
Below is a list of requirements that your child must meet:
1. Age Requirements
2. Availability in your area
3. Residency Requirements
4. Disability Requirements
5. Early Intervention Requirements
For more information regarding the National Disability Insurance Scheme or to see if your child meets the access requirements head to their website.
www.ndis.gov.au
1800 800 110
Learn more about speech pathology or childrens speech pathology today!