Your assistive technology has a crucial role in assisting you in achieving your goals-whether short or long term. It is important to ensure that it functions well, not only to help you progress with your goals but also to ensure that it is functioning well and that it is safe to use. This is where it brings our discussion about repairs and maintenance of your ATs.
During your planning meeting, you can already ask for funding repairs needed for your AT, this is why one should never undermine the importance of preparing the documents prior to the plan meeting. In the past articles, we learned that we need quotations from other service providers and assessments from a qualified health professional related to your AT, but this article also highlights that along with these “must-haves” documents, information and quotation for repairs and maintenance of your AT should also be included so that it will be included in the discussion. When you start gathering details for your AT , take into consideration how often do you need maintenance support, the wear and tear of the product, include circumstances like emergency repairs or having it repaired on a weekend, and how much does it cost on your end.
Here are a few important things you need to know in relation to maintenance and repairs of your AT :
1. Review the service agreement you had with your service provider as to who is held responsible for the maintenance and repair of the equipment. If you are leasing your AT equipment, usually it is the service provider’s responsibility to cover the cost for maintenance, repair, and even replacement if needed.
2.If you are NDIA managed and self-managed you may contact your service provider directly. For Plan Managed participants, the plan manager will be able to help you connect with the service provider and can provide you with information on whether you have sufficient funds to cover the needed repair or maintenance. For payment processes, if you are NDIA managed the provider will make a service booking for the repairs on the myplace portal and they will also be responsible for processing the invoice of the rendered service. If you are self-managed, you will be responsible for paying the providers directly and claim for reimbursement from your NDIS budget. This is where the beauty of being plan managed comes in as it no longer requires paperwork on your end, the plan manager will take care of the booking and paying of your service provider.
3.If you have bought the item yourself and need repair or replacement due to malfunction right when you received the item or equipment, you are covered by consumer rights wherein the service provider is liable to give you a warranty of any damages or malfunction of the item or equipment. If in the event that your concern is more on the wear and tear of your purchased item or equipment, you can use your low cost AT budget to cover the expense for most low cost AT repairs, level 1 and level 2 AT repairs, and minor repairs for specialized and complex ATs level 3 and level 4.
The NDIA also provides funds for repairs and maintenance under Capital supports. The funding will be based on the equipment type and potential repairs. It is important to note that repairs that cost more than $1500 will require
If you are worried that your funding may not be able to cover enough support for the maintenance of your AT or that you might need a more regular maintenance schedule than expected or forecasted, you can always have a chat with your Local Area Coordinator or Support Coordinator and have a discussion about the need to request for additional funding.
Do you need help with the maintenance and repairs of your AT? Choose to be Plan Managed with Yogi Care and allow us to help you lighten up the load. We not only ensure that we book and pay your providers on time but also ensure that you are on track with your funds.
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