Continence Aids Payment Scheme – Eligibility Criterias, Amount, Application Process

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Continence Aids Payment Scheme

CAPS in Australia offers financial aid for severe incontinence to eligible individuals aged 5 or older, confirmed by a registered health professional, who are Australian citizens or have residency rights. The current payment rate for 2023-24 is $676.50, subject to annual adjustments.

Continence Aids Payment Scheme

The Continence Aids Payment Scheme (CAPS) in Australia provides financial assistance to individuals with permanent and severe incontinence.

To be eligible for CAPS, individuals must be 5 years or older, have confirmed severe incontinence by a registered health professional, and be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or have permanent residency rights.

The current payment rate for the 2023-24 financial year is $676.50, subject to annual adjustments based on government budgets.

Eligibility Criteria for the Continence Aids Payment Scheme

The Continence Aids Payment Scheme (CAPS) offers financial assistance to Australians managing permanent and severe incontinence.

  • You must be 5 years of age or older to qualify for CAPS.
  • You need to have permanent and severe incontinence confirmed by a registered health professional. This confirmation will typically involve a medical assessment by your doctor or a continence specialist.
  • You must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or hold permanent residency rights for as long as you receive the CAPS payment.

In addition to the above, you must also possess one of the following qualifying conditions:

  • Eligible Neurological Conditions: This includes conditions like:
    • Multiple Sclerosis
    • Parkinson’s disease
    • Stroke
    • Spinal cord injury
    • spina bifida, etc
  • Eligible Other Conditions (provided you hold a Centrelink or DVA Pensioner Concession Card): These may include conditions that cause incontinence, such as:
    • Cancer
    • Pelvic floor dysfunction
    • Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
    • Diabetes
    • To determine if your specific condition qualifies, you can:  Consult your doctor for guidance.

While meeting the above criteria makes you eligible to apply, there are a few situations where you may not be able to access CAPS:

  • Residential Aged Care: If you reside permanently in residential aged care (excluding respite care), you are not eligible for CAPS.
  • Home Care Package: If you receive an Australian Government-funded Home Care Package that includes continence products in your care plan, you cannot access CAPS for the same purpose.
  • DVA Rehabilitation Appliances Program (RAP): If you are eligible for continence product assistance under the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) RAP, you cannot receive CAPS funding.

Continence Aids Payment Scheme Application Process

To apply for the Continence Aids Payment Scheme, you will need to follow the step-by-step instructions.

  • Sign in to your myGov account, Access your Medicare online account.
  • Within your Medicare online account, locate the “Services” section, Select “Continence aids payment scheme”.
  • Complete Online Form:
    • Follow the prompts to complete the online application form.
    • The online form typically gathers details like your personal information, contact details, and medical history.
  • Upload Health Report:
    • During the application process, you’ll find an option to upload documents.
    • Upload the completed Health Report Section 3 provided by your healthcare professional.
  • Carefully review all the information you’ve entered in the online application and submit the completed online application.

Continence Aids Payment Scheme (CAPS) Amount 

The Continence Aids Payment Scheme offers financial assistance to Australians managing permanent and severe incontinence.

Payment Type:

  • CAPS provides a yearly non-taxable payment to help cover the cost of continence management products.

Current Payment Rate:

  • The current payment rate for the 2023-24 financial year is $676.50.

Payment Frequency:

  • You can choose to receive your CAPS payment in one of two ways:
    • Annual Payment: Paid once a year, typically in July at the start of the new financial year.
    • Bi-Annual Payment: Split into two payments, received in July and January of each year.

Payment Selection:

  • You can specify your preferred payment frequency (annual or bi-annual) during the application process.
  • If you don’t express a preference, the default is typically an annual payment in July.

Payment Destination:

  • The CAPS payment is deposited directly into your nominated Australian bank account.
  • This account can be yours, your child’s (if you’re the custodial parent applying on their behalf), or your legal/authorised nominee’s account.

What types of continence products are covered by the continence aids payment scheme?

The Continence Aids Payment Scheme (CAPS) in Australia covers a range of continence products to assist individuals with severe and permanent incontinence. These products include:

  • Catheters
  • Bed and Chair Pads
  • Furniture Protection
  • Absorbent Bed Sheets
  • Condom Drainage Systems
  • Barrier Creams and Moisturisers
  • Absorbent Pads
  • Urinary Drainage Bags

Go to NCBLPC Homepage.

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