Occupational Therapy Funding Options
What could cover your OT costs?
Your funding type tells us who pays and which documents we need. It does not decide which occupational therapy service is clinically appropriate.
If you are unsure, you can still contact us. We will explain what information you need to check.
Choose a funding option
- 01NDISYou may use NDIS plan funding for disability-related occupational therapy.
- 02MedicareYou may receive a partial rebate when you have an eligible referral.
- 03Private paymentPay directly without using a government funding program.
- 04Support at HomeUse approved aged care funding through your registered provider.
- 05Preschool BoostFor eligible Flying Start partner services seeking educator coaching.
- 06Thriving KidsNot currently a funding pathway with Meaningful Activities.
Using an NDIS plan for occupational therapy
Have these details ready if possible:
- Plan management type
- Plan start and end dates
- The current funding period and amount available
- The therapy budget available for occupational therapy
- Plan Manager or Support Coordinator details, when relevant
The National Disability Insurance Scheme, or NDIS, funds disability-related supports for eligible people. Occupational therapy may be paid from an NDIS plan when the service relates to the person's disability support needs, fits the plan and meets current NDIS rules.
Meaningful Activities currently works with self-managed and plan-managed NDIS funding.
Some therapy budgets are shared between occupational therapy and other services. Agreeing how much is available for OT helps us propose work that fits the clinical question and the budget. Funding does not decide what is clinically needed. It decides how much agreed work can be purchased from the plan.
Need evidence about your support or living arrangements?
Using Medicare for occupational therapy
Medicare may cover part of the cost of eligible occupational therapy appointments. It does not usually cover the full fee.
For a new referral, ask your GP or prescribed medical practitioner whether a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan, or GPCCMP, is appropriate.
The doctor decides whether you have a chronic or terminal condition that would benefit from care from more than one type of health professional. There is no official list of approved diagnoses.
Older GP Management Plans and Team Care Arrangements made before 1 July 2025 can continue under transition rules until 30 June 2027. If you already have one, send us the referral so we can check the details. Do not ask for one of these older plans as a new referral.
How many sessions are covered?
Eligible people can usually claim up to five individual allied health services in a calendar year. These five services are shared across eligible professions. For example, if you use three for physiotherapy, two remain for occupational therapy or another eligible allied health service that year.
The referring doctor decides eligibility and which allied health services are included. We confirm our fee, the expected Medicare rebate and the remaining amount before the appointment.
Start a ReferralPaying privately
You can pay the agreed fee yourself without an NDIS plan or Medicare referral.
Tell us what you want help with. You do not need to choose the exact service first. We review the request, explain whether it fits our services and confirm the scope and cost before work begins.
Using Support at Home for occupational therapy
Support at Home is an Australian Government aged care program for eligible older people living at home. An aged care assessment identifies the person's needs and approved services.
Occupational therapy may be arranged when it is included in the approved support. The person's registered provider confirms the authorised work, available funding and payment arrangement with Meaningful Activities.
If the person self-manages parts of their Support at Home services, they may have more involvement in choosing and arranging the clinician. Their registered provider still confirms how the work will be approved and paid from the Support at Home budget.
Preschool Boost for Flying Start partner services
Eligible Flying Start partner preschool services can use Preschool Boost funding for approved support connected with their Partnership Plan.
Meaningful Activities is listed for Occupational Therapy Educator Coaching. This is coaching for educators about shared preschool routines, activities and environments. It is not individual therapy for one child.
If your service is not a Flying Start partner, use the official provider information or contact the Office for Early Childhood Development to ask about future participation.
Thriving Kids is not a current funding pathway with us
Who is Thriving Kids for?
Thriving Kids is still being established in South Australia. Meaningful Activities does not currently have a confirmed provider role or referral pathway for the program.
If you need occupational therapy for a child now, you can ask about our existing services. That enquiry is separate from Thriving Kids.
Contact us about current child servicesAlready know how the service will be paid for?
Use the referral form for NDIS, Medicare, private payment or Support at Home. Preschool Boost uses its own service enquiry form.
If you are unsure, contact us and we will help you identify the information to check. A referral starts our review. It does not confirm acceptance, current capacity or a start date.
