Hearing aids and the NDIS

The NDIS is here providing hearing help for more Queenslanders with hearing loss

With the introduction of the NDIS, more people will have access to government funded hearing help and supports.

Now anyone with a hearing loss, irrespective of age, that meet the eligibility criteria, will have access to funding for that hearing loss via the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Funding is available for people with hearing loss for items like:

• Hearing aids and accessories
• Alert systems e.g. baby cry, smoke alarm, doorbell
• Bluetooth accessories
• Remote controls
• TV streamers
• FM systems
• Microphones

The National Disability Insurance Scheme will support people with a significant and permanent hearing loss who need assistance with every day activities including work, family and social obligations.

Accessing the NDIS for hearing loss – an easy process

Accessing the National Disability Insurance Scheme for hearing loss and hearing aid funding can seem like an overwhelming process. But just take it one step at a time and you’ll have success in no time. Once you break it down there’s really nothing to it apart from a little legwork. And if you need it, there are even people who can help you with that.

There are six steps outlined below to accessing the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

• Check that you meet the initial eligibility criteria for the NDIS. If you are eligible contact the NDIA for an Access Request Form on 1800 800 110.
• Obtain evidence of your hearing loss. You will need a hearing test from your audiologist.
• Apply for NDIS access using the Access Request Form.
• Develop your plan. If access is approved an NDIS planner will contact you to help establish your first personalised plan.

Who is eligible for the NDIS?

There are two parts to eligibility. Firstly there is general eligibility. Most citizens or permanent residents under the age of 65 are eligible if their disability satisfies the NDIS criteria. That criteria says that if your disability is likely to be permanent and significant you can receive funding from the NDIS.

There is also a component of the NDIS targeted at early intervention. Early intervention requirements apply to children under 7 years of age.

The second part to eligibility, when talking about hearing loss, relates to the severity of the hearing loss.

Currently there is no set specific limit for hearing loss but generally, if your hearing test determines (and here comes the techno-babble) that you have a hearing loss of 40db HL 4 frequency average in the better ear you may be eligible. This is considered a moderate hearing loss and you would need hearing aids to understand normal speech or rely on speech reading cues. Get your hearing tested from a qualified audiologist to ensure your hearing loss is diagnosed correctly.

Who pays for my hearing aids and ALDs?

Depending on your plan, payment for your hearing aids and ALDs are made by the National Disability Insurance Scheme. If you self-manage your plan you may need to pay for some items upfront and get reimbursed from the NDIS afterwards. You will discuss these details with your planner when you create your initial plan.

While not every Australian will be covered, even with the National Disability Insurance Scheme, hearing health support is now available to a much greater number in the population. If you, or someone you know have struggled with hearing loss now is the time to address the disorder for good.

Your NDIS hearing health experts

Clarity have been at the forefront of NDIS service provision working directly with the NDIA, support coordinators and participants to ensure access and capacity is available when the NDIS has rolled out.

At Clarity we base your expert diagnosis and treatment on five simple, yet hard to come by principles.
It’s hearing health advice you can rely on.

• Accurate diagnosis: We only employ the best University Masters qualified and registered Audiologists and we take the time to ensure we accurately diagnose your hearing loss.
• Evidence-based recommendations and treatment: We only prescribe treatment, hearing aids and features, and assistive listening devices where there’s medical evidence it will actually help you and, importantly, suit your lifestyle.
• Ethical and transparent pricing: Our low margins are the same across our range of hearing aids and assistive listening devices. This means our pricing is some of the lowest available at close to wholesale prices. And that means more for your NDIS supports and no out-of-pockets.
• No sales commissions: We employ and pay our team to treat your hearing loss. We don’t reward them for reaching targets or sales quotas.
• Independent: Being independent we can provide hearing aids and implants from all manufacturers to ensure you get the right solution for your hearing needs. We offer you a choice of options that will treat your hearing loss and we will take the time to explain the benefits and features of each option.

More NDIS resources

• Government consumer resources
• Access requirements
• Fact sheets