Raising kids is a common challenge most of us can accept. Attending school events, grocery shopping, and breakfast negotiations may only be a few of your daily trials. If you’re raising a kid with special needs, your schedule may also revolve around regular doctors’ visits, searching for some people with proper training who could babysit, chasing insurance, and therapy sessions.
You may be sitting alone wondering if you have the budget to provide all the support your child needs. Fortunately, there are special needs organizations and government schemes that can change your life drastically. We list them below in case you didn’t know.
NDIS
In Australia, the National Disability Insurance Scheme or NDIS aims to cover all reasonable expenses associated with special needs and disabilities. This initiative wants to improve its participants’ lives by paying for therapies, consultations, low and high-ticket equipment, and other support services that a person without a disability would not incur.
However, the NDIS plan, its inclusions, and how to avail them have their complexities. Parents or guardians can avoid confusion and difficulties by getting an NDIS plan manager who will discuss the program’s entirety and control the funds to ensure that every expense is in line with the NDIS guidelines. These support workers will also connect you with accredited providers in their vast network.
Medicaid
Parents who devote their time providing care for their disabled or special needs children can get paid by Medicaid. If your child is eligible, Medicaid may provide cash aid. You can choose to spend the money on hiring a caregiver or on daily living expenses.
Currently, 15 states offer this kind of assistance to eligible participants. Other states don’t allow relatives to receive cash aid. Check with your local Medicaid office to confirm this and inquire about other available programs.
Goodwill Industries International
While not a government affiliate, Goodwill provides different forms of assistance to special needs individuals. Apart from financial aid, they also serve as a channel for disabled youth and veterans to find jobs. One of their goals is to magnify the quality of life and dignity of those with disabilities, whether physical or intellectual.
Private Insurance Companies
A long-term care policy may include a caregiver stipend for eligible holders. Most long-term care insurance policies reimburse a portion or a declared amount to cover daily living assistance. Contact your agent and ask for the amount usually provided for disability cases.
Medicare
Medicare won’t cover daily living assistance costs or pay parents for caregiving. However, they have Home Health Services that reimburse some expenses if it meets some conditions. The coverage includes:
- Skilled nursing care cost, whether part-time or intermittent
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Medical social services
- Speech-language and mobility services
- Home health aide services
- Osteoporosis drugs for women
Like NDIS, Medicaid, and other assistance programs, there are coordinations involved, and eligibility may depend on your location. Check with your local state Medicare office for more information about this.
Wrapping Up
Endless worry accompanies every special needs parent. Know that the above assistance programs and more institutions will help improve you and your child’s life by covering daily living and other expenses relevant to these inabilities.
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