Financial Wellness in Glaucoma - What Assistance is Out There?

Many Australians are unaware they hold insurance through their super fund. If you’ve got insurance with your super fund it’s worth taking some time to find out what you’re covered for. 

Most super funds automatically provide:

• Life cover (which pays a lump sum if you die) 
• Total and Permanent Disability Insurance (TPD)  - pays a lump sum if you become totally and permanently disabled because of illness or injury.

Some super funds will also automatically provide income protection insurance – which pays some of your income if you can’t work for an extended period of time due to illness or injury.

It’s important to understand what your cover includes and if this works for your personal situation.
 
To find out what insurance you have in your Super and who the insurer is, the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) recommends you:

• Call your super fund 
• Access your super account online 
• Check your super fund's Annual Statement and the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS)
• Go to your MyGov

To find out more, visit ASIC which you can access by clicking here.

Reference: ASIC Insurance Through Super article accessed on 16/02/2023

Disability Support Pension (DSP) provides financial help if you have a permanent physical, intellectual or psychiatric condition that stops you from working, including blindness. To be eligible for the DSP you must be under the age requirement for the Age Pension.

There are also Non-Medical and Medical Rules you will need to meet in order to claim the DSP (Blind). To find out if this is the right payment for you, visit the Australian Government's, Services Australia page which you can access by clicking here.

Once you have collected all the required medical and non-medical documentation, you can submit your application with the ‘Request for Ophthalmologist/Optometrist Report’ and any other supporting documentation to Centrelink.

Medical Rules

When applying for the DSP you will need to work with your ophthalmologist or optometrist to fill out the Centrelink ‘Request for Ophthalmologist/Optometrist Report’. You can find download this form here

Find out about the medical rules criteria by clicking here

Non-Medical Rules

There are a range of non-medical rules you also need to meet to qualify for the DSP. If you're permanently blind, you may not be subjected to the income or assets test. Find out more about the non-medical rules by clicking here

References:
www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/disability-support-pension

If you are over the current retirement age, and meet the additional criteria you may be eligible for the Age Pension (Blind).

• On 1 July 2021,  the Age Pension age increased to 66 years and 6 months for people born from 1 July 1955 to 31 December 1956, inclusive.
• If your birthdate is on or after 1 January 1957, you’ll have to wait until you turn 67. This will be the Age Pension age from 1 July 2023.
   

If you’re legally blind and you’re not claiming Rent Assistance, you may be able to claim Age Pension without being assessed against the income and assets tests. You’ll need to provide an ophthalmologist report to support your claim which you can download to fill out with your optometrist or ophthalmologist by clicking here

Find out more about the eligibility requirements for the Age Pension at the Services Australia website by clicking here

References:
www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/age-pension

There are a range of resources on our website that explain what glaucoma is and the impact it has on the daily lives of people with glaucoma and their families.

You might find this presentation by Associate Professor Bang Bui on the 'Impact of Glaucoma on Mental Health and Wellbeing' a useful resource to refer to when filling out application. To watch the presentation click here

The NDIS supports people with a permanent and significant disability that affects their ability to take part in everyday activities. The service works with you to identify the type of support you need to achieve your goals. This may include independence, involvement in your community, education, employment and health and wellbeing.

To access the NDIS, some of the criteria you need to meet are:

• have a permanent and significant disability that affects your ability to take part in everyday activities
• be aged less than 65 when you first access the scheme
• be an Australian citizen, a permanent resident or a New Zealand citizen who holds a Protected Special Category Visa
• live in an area where the NDIS is available

You can use NDIS Eligibility Checklist to find out if you can access the NDIS and register your interest. To find out more about the support available through NDIS visit their website by clicking here

The Australian Disability Parking Scheme (ADPS) includes an Australian Disability Parking Permit, which is recognised nationally.

It also establishes a nationally consistent eligibility criteria and national minimum parking concessions to help reduce the barriers for permit holders when travelling interstate. State and Territory Governments are responsible for the management of the ADPS, which means you will need to apply for the permit that's relevant to your State or Territory.

If you are eligible to receive a permit, you will be able to park in parking spaces showing the international symbol of access. You can also receive concessions in most public parking spaces where the sign or meter shows specific time limits.

To find out more and apply, visit the Australian Government Department of Social Services website by clicking here

The Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (IPTAAS), provides financial assistance towards travel and accommodation costs when you need to travel more than 100km one way or 200km within a week for appointments to the same medical practitioner or health service for specialised medical treatment that is not available locally.

IPTAAS provides financial support towards travel and accommodation. You can claim financial assistance towards:

• private vehicle travel
• public transport (trains, buses and ferries)
• taxis (includes ride sharing like Uber)
• air travel (in special circumstances)
• accommodation

To learn more click here