Ma Bernice Hua, Badji Samia, Chen Gang, Petrie Dennis
Centre for Health Economics, Monash University, Caulfield East, Victoria, Australia.
Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
PLoS One. 2025 May 7;20(5):e0321377. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0321377. eCollection 2025.
Australia introduced the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in 2013 to provide personalised formal care to individuals under 65 with significant and likely permanent disability. However, many ineligible individuals now face challenges accessing care. Against the backdrop of the introduction of NDIS funding and the simultaneous defunding of other disability services due to the NDIS, this research investigates the short-term impacts of NDIS on the formal service utilisation and carer outcomes for people with profound or severe disability, irrespective of their NDIS status. Using the staggered NDIS rollout, we analyse data from the 2015 and 2018 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers. We compare outcomes between primary carers and care recipients in NDIS-available areas (n = 736) and NDIS-not-yet-available areas (n = 318). Results show no short-term impact of NDIS availability on formal service utilisation or frequency, or primary carer outcomes. While some individuals benefit from the NDIS, others may lose access to care. Policymakers should address NDIS equity concerns and consider targeted measures to improve carer outcomes.
澳大利亚于2013年推出了国家残疾保险计划（NDIS），为65岁以下有严重且可能永久性残疾的个人提供个性化的正规护理。然而，许多不符合资格的个人现在在获得护理方面面临挑战。在引入NDIS资金以及由于NDIS其他残疾服务同时被削减资金的背景下，本研究调查了NDIS对重度或极重度残疾人士正规服务使用情况和照料者结果的短期影响，无论其NDIS资格状况如何。利用NDIS的逐步推广，我们分析了2015年和2018年残疾、老龄化和照料者调查的数据。我们比较了NDIS覆盖地区（n = 736）和尚未覆盖地区（n = 318）的主要照料者和护理接受者的结果。结果显示，NDIS的覆盖对正规服务的使用情况、频率或主要照料者的结果没有短期影响。虽然一些人从NDIS中受益，但另一些人可能会失去获得护理的机会。政策制定者应解决NDIS的公平问题，并考虑采取有针对性的措施来改善照料者的结果。
