Funding

There are a variety of funding initiatives available for clients to access Occupational Therapy services in a more affordable way.  Christine is a registered provider for all of these schemes.
MEDICARE SCHEMES

Chronic Disease Management Plan (CDM)
  • Medicare rebates are available for up to five allied health sessions per calendar year.
  • Previously known as the Enhanced Primary Care Program. 
  • Rebates provided for each session is $52.95.
  • Referral required from a GP

Better Access for Mental Health (BAMHI)
  • Medicare rebates are available for up to 10 individual and 10 group allied mental health services per calendar year.
  • Available to clients in order to help manage social, anxiety and attention impairments. 
  • Rebates provided for each session is $74.80.
  • Requires a referral from a GP, paediatrician or psychiatrist. 

Helping Children with Autism (HCWA)
  • Medicare rebates are available for children undergoing diagnosis / assessment or treatment for autism or any other pervasive developmental disorder. 
  • Requires a referral by a paediatrician or psychiatrist. 
  • A referral can be made for up to 4 assessment services  (for a child under 13 years of age), and up to 20 treatment services (for a child under 15 years of age, provided a treatment and management plan is in place before their 13th birthday). 
  • These are the total number of services available to each child. 
  • It is not an annual entitlement. 
  • Rebates provided for each session is $74.80.

Better Start for Children with Disability Initiative
  • Medicare rebates are available for children with conditions such as sight and hearing impairments, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, Williams syndrome, Angelman syndrome, Kabuki syndrome, Smith-Magenis syndrome, CHARGE syndrome, Cri du Chat syndrome, Cornelia de lange syndrome, microcephaly and Rett’s disorder. 
  • Children with an eligible condition can access this initiative provided they have not already accessed services under the HCWA scheme. 
  • Requires a referral by a GP, specialist or consultant physician. 
  • A referral can be made for up to 4 assessment services (for a child under 13 years of age), and up to 20 treatment services (for a child under 15 years of age, provided a treatment and management plan is in place before their 13th birthday). 
  • Rebates provided for each session is $74.80.

Want to claim the medicare rebates at our clinic?
All medicare claims are processed on the spot through our HICAPS terminal for your convenience.

Want more information about any of the medicare initiatives? 
Go to www.health.gov.au
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES FUNDING PACKAGES

Helping Children with Autism (HCWA) Package
  • Provides access to early intervention for children aged zero to six with an ASD. 
  • The funding can be used until the child’s seventh birthday. 
  • All you need to do is to sign the relevant forms at the start of the session, and then we submit them to our consortium for payment. 
  • www.amaze.org.au

Better Start for Children with Disability (Better Start) Package
  • Provides funding for early intervention services in the same way as the HCWA package. However, this package is specifically for children with cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, Fragile X Syndrome, hearing and sight impairments, Prader-Willi syndrome, Williams Syndrome, Angelman syndrome, Kabuki syndrome, Smith-Magenis syndrome, CHARGE syndrome, Cornelia de Lange syndrome, Rett’s Disorder, Cri du Chat syndrome or Microcephaly. 
  • All you need to do is to sign the relevant forms at the start of the session, and then we submit them to our consortium for payment. 
  • www.betterstart.net.au​​
NDIS
​
As the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is rolled out across Australia, children supported through HCWA or Better Start will transition to the NDIS.

The NDIS offers a range of options on how a plan can be managed, allowing participants to have choice and control over the providers they select, including when and how often the supports are delivered. 

We currently have a number of clients who are accessing our services through NDIS self-managed plans or plans managed by a plan management provider.

Christine Siddle is also accessing the NDIS for her son, Oliver, so she has a very good understanding of the NDIS from the parent’s perspective as well.
PRIVATE HEALTH
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Christine Siddle is a registered provider with a vast range of health funds across Australia. 

Claims can be easily processed on the spot through our HICAPS terminal, so you only need to pay the out of pocket expenses. 

Always check with your health fund about whether or not Occupational Therapy sessions are covered under your specific health cover, as they greatly vary.