Many NDIS participants require some form of assistive technology (AT) to support their disability. However, finding the correct information of what you can and can’t claim under your plan or needing to engage in lengthy discussions about requiring an invoice can be frustrating and sometimes leads to NDIS participants not accessing the AT supports they may need. This is where Assistive Tech comes in. They make AT purchases easy.
Who is Assistive Tech?
Assistive Tech is a family-owned business focused on providing exceptional service as specialist resellers of Low-Cost Assistive Technology and Augmented and Assistive (AAC) Devices.
The Assistive Tech story begun with Allan Dall and his son. Back when the NDIS was first put into place, Allan spent weeks with his son preparing visiting specialists and getting a range of reports and evidence the NDIS required to identify the appropriate supports needed to help build his son’s capacity to communicate.
During this process he worked closely with a range of professionals including speech pathologists and occupational therapists and as someone with a technology background he started to develop an interest in how technology could be integrated in to the supports his son needed. Allan was advised by a NDIA planner that although the technology his son required may be funded by the NDIS, the market was still new and finding a provider could prove difficult.
“I finished the meeting did the research and soon found that there was only one provider that could deliver what I needed to buy, and they didn’t answer their phone or reply to my email. It was then that I realised there was a market that was not being serviced. Assistive Tech was born.” Allan Dall
Today, Assistive Tech is a registered NDIS provider with an ever-expanding range of augmented communication apps, technology hardware and accessories aimed at helping NDIS participant to access the support they need with ease.
How it works
Assistive Tech can assist all NDIS participants, no matter how your plan is managed. However, the steps may be a little different for a participant who is plan managed vs. agency managed.
Plan Managed
When placing your order, there will be an option that allows you to select ‘NDIS – Plan Managed’ as the payment method during the checkout process. When selecting this the Assistive Tech team will submit an invoice to your plan manager. After your plan manager receives and processes the invoice, Assistive Tech can dispatch your items. Most plan managers process invoices within 7-10 days, however at First2Care we aim to process invoices in 2-3 days which helps to ensure you receive your items faster.
Self-Managed
Participants who are self-managed can opt to pay for their items upfront and submit a tax invoice to the NDIA for reimbursement or they can select ‘Self-Managed’ at checkout and Assistive Tech can provide you with an invoice to submit to the NDIA for payment processing.
Agency Managed
Select ‘Agency Managed’ at checkout and the Assistive Tech team will contact the NDIA to arrange a service agreement so that can process your claim directly through the NDIA.
It’s important to note that no matter how you are managed, Assistive Tech does require a letter of support from an allied health professional that states in the health professional’s opinion that assistive technology would benefit you. The letter does not need to specify the item, model, or value.
There’s a lot of conflicting information out there about what participants can and can’t purchase and often the information provided is incorrect. Assistive Tech’s expert team (or the team at First2Care) can help to provide guidance on AT purchases. You can also find some fact sheets in the FAQ section on the Assistive Tech website.
What are the benefits?
The biggest benefit of Assistive Tech is that unlike ‘big box’ stores, they know the NDIS rules and regulations, and the claiming and invoicing requirements necessary to help you to feel confident in your purchase.
They are not a mass market retailer which means you don’t need to explain that you need an invoice when you make a purchase. This cuts out potentially lengthy discussions of having to explain the reason an invoice is needed, and jumping through hoops to get the necessary information the NDIA needs to process the payment.
Assistive Tech goes above and beyond to help make the process smooth and simple when it comes to purchasing AT items. They can even set up iPads in advance and preinstall any necessary apps to ensure that when a participant receives their item, it is ready to use with minimal setup required.
Assistive Tech is focused on making sure that participants can access the technology they need and will collaborate with allied health professionals to help ensure this happens. They are constantly investing to expand their range of products and services to support NDIS participants in achieving their goals.
Assistive Tech can ship Australia wide, and you can order online 24/7 by visiting their website assistivetech.com.au.
Read more about the benefits of working with an independent, professional Plan Manager. Alternatively, contact our friendly team on 1300 322 273 or support@first2care.com.au.