Fees and Rebates

Disability funding

A government rebate is available for the ongoing management of the following disabilities, once the diagnosis is confirmed:

  • cerebral palsy
  • deaf-blindness
  • hearing impairment (hearing loss of 40dB or greater in the better ear)
  • sight impairment (less than or equal to 6/18 vision in the better ear)
  • Down syndrome (including mosaic Down syndrome)
  • Fragile X syndrome
  • Prader-Willi syndrome
  • Williams syndrome
  • Angelman syndrome
  • Kabuki syndrome
  • CHARGE syndrome
  • Cornelia de Lange syndrome
  • Rett’s disorder
  • Cri du Chat syndrome
  • Microcephaly (head circumference less than 3rd centile and development less than 2 standard deviations below the mean for age)

Better Start for Children with Disability Funding
This package involves a $12,000 grant provided to children diagnosed with a disability (listed above) prior to their 6th birthday, with the funds needing to be used prior to their 7th birthday.

Once a diagnosis has been confirmed, your Paediatrician will write a letter confirming the diagnosis, which the family will take to Carers Australia to access the funding package.

Better Start for Children with Disability Access to Treatment (or Item 137)
This is a Medicare item number your Paediatrician will bill as a once off consultation prior to your child’s 13th birthday.

This gives your child access to 20 sessions with allied health providers (psychologists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, etc.) specialising in the management of your child’s disability.

It allows a Medicare rebate for these services and can be used up until your child’s 15th birthday.

Note that you cannot access both the Helping Children with Autism and Better Start packages.