According to the Australian Spinal Injury Alliance, around 350 to 400 new spinal cord injuries are recorded in Australia each year, with transport-related accidents accounting for the majority of these cases. Spinal cord injury can result in quadriplegia or paraplegia, but there are also people who will acquire other types of impairment through catastrophic injury, such as loss of a limb or total blindness. Accidents can happen to anyone at any time, and the risk doesn’t just go away because of your age.
The Productivity Commission’s 2011 inquiry report, the report that helped shape the NDIS, recommended the introduction of a second scheme – the NIIS, or National Injury Insurance Scheme. The National Injury Insurance Scheme was intended to be rolled out alongside the NDIS to provide care and support to people who suffer a catastrophic injury through:
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Medical accidents, and
- General accidents (occurring in the home or community)
It would seem that the implementation of a National Injury Insurance Scheme is still going ahead as planned. As is the case with My Aged Care though, it’s been completely overshadowed by the NDIS and we haven’t been hearing anything about it.
We are currently investigating the eligibility requirements of the National Injury Insurance Scheme and will report back in due course as we have more information about how the scheme will apply to people who are over 65 years of age.
In the meantime, you can find out more here: the National Injury Insurance Scheme
Or access the recommendations from the Productivity Commission’s 2011 Inquiry report
NDIS (Not Damn Interested in Seniors) = My Aged Scare! 