Participants in Queensland can now use NDIS funds to claim for COVID-19 rapid antigen tests for themselves and their carers.

In January, the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), Senator Linda Reynolds CSC, announced that NDIS participants in Australia who have a reasonable and necessary need for rapid antigen tests (RATs) may purchase these with their NDIS plan funding. This is to ensure that participants can still access their supports during Covid-19 outbreaks and is great news for Australians living with disabilities and their carers.

WHAT IS A RAPID ANTIGEN TEST?

Rapid Antigen Tests are used to detect COVID-19 and one of the huge benefits of these tests is that they allow you to be tested anywhere, even in the comfort of your own home. While RATs are not as accurate as PCR testing, which is done in laboratories, they are still valuable in detecting the virus early and reducing the spread of COVID-19. 

WHY ARE RATs NECESSARY?

For NDIS participants, a Covid-19 test may be necessary to ensure that you are not at risk of spreading the virus to a support worker delivering your supports to you and vice versa. By undertaking a Rapid Antigen Test, you can be tested in the safety and privacy of your own home without any interruption to your support services.

WHO CAN APPLY?

Following the National Cabinet’s agreement on the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) guidance regarding the use of rapid antigen testing, as an NDIS participant, you may now claim for a rapid antigen test to continue receiving your NDIS support services. If you are eligible, you may purchase RATs for yourself and your carers from core support funding. You may purchase as many as you need in order to continue receiving your NDIS supports.

STAYING SAFE DURING COVID 19

Hilltop Caring takes the health and wellbeing of our participants and staff seriously. We continue to operate in line with NDIA Covid-19 health and safety guidelines, including regular staff testing. We believe everyone should have equal and fair access to healthcare, virus protection and testing during the Covid-19 pandemic and we are dedicated to delivering care in the safest way possible. Call us on 07 3096 0088 if you’d like friendly assistance or advice about accessing your funded RATs. You can also call the NDIS on 1800 800 110 Monday to Friday, from 8.00am to 8.00pm and select the option for Covid-19 related queries.