There are times where we may ask you to provide a letter of support before processing some invoices. This has caused some confusion in the past, as there is sometimes conflicting information about what these are, who they are for, and why they are needed. Here are some key pointers that we hope will clear away this confusion.
What are they?
A letter of support is, as the name may suggest, a supporting letter that documents a relevant allied health professional’s opinion that a certain support or purchase is a requirement based on a participant’s disability.
Who are they for?
While First2Care may request a letter of support to have on file, these are not a requirement for us to process invoices. Instead, they are for the NDIA.
Why are they needed?
The NDIA will use these letters of support to make their judgement on whether supports meet the reasonable and necessary criteria, and are therefore eligible for NDIS funding. Supports that may not be immediately apparent as being eligible may be questioned by the NDIA at plan reassessment meetings. Letters of support are a crucial piece of evidence in justifying why certain supports or items were claimed.
When are they needed?
Not every support or item needs a letter of support. A few items require a letter of support, while we recommend obtaining one for others.
Items that require a letter of support include:
Mid and High-Cost Assistive Technology.
High Risk Assistive Technology, regardless of cost. A risk assessment may also be a requirement for these items.
Tablets and computer-based assistive technology.
Low-Cost Assistive Technology for support continuity (not just smart devices for telehealth).
Support continuity refers to Assistive Technology that facilitates Capacity Building supports in instances where physical or in-person services are not possible or are not practical.
In addition to these, we may recommend letters of support to provide justification for supports/purchases where the reasonable and necessary criteria may need to be addressed. This is not for First2Care’s benefit, though it does allow us to feel confident that a participant has considered these criteria.
If a support or purchase is not mentioned in your Funding Allocations or Goals on your NDIS Plan, we may recommend obtaining a letter of support.
To summarise:
A letter of support is required if the item is a smart device or computer, if the item is High Risk, if the item is required for Continuity of Support, or if the item is Mid/High-Cost AT.
In all other cases, a letter of support is not required. However, we may recommend obtaining one if the item/support is not mentioned or directly related to your plan and/or stated goals.
Written by Jacob Coates