Latest news with #DisabilityInsuranceScheme
1News
6 days ago
- Health
- 1News
Kiwi paralysed in surfing accident in Aus day before engagement party
A Kiwi tradie who was living on the Gold Coast became paralysed from a surfing accident just 24 hours before flying home for his engagement party last year. Jonathan 'Johnny' Konings, now 32, moved to the beachside neighbourhood of Kirra in Queensland in 2022 with his partner of seven years, Charlie. Coming from Hamilton, the couple hoped to start a life full of sunshine, beaches, and surfing. However, on June 18 last year, Johnny had a freak wipeout while surfing at Duranbah beach, landing him in a wheelchair potentially for the rest of his life. Johnny told the Daily Mail the morning of the accident was a normal one, "avo on toast with the missus" before going to meet with a client for the first job of his day. ADVERTISEMENT When the meeting got pushed back, Johnny decided to make the most of the ideal conditions and get out in the surf. He had been surfing since he was 16 and said that day, "was one of those days where you don't have to sit there and study it too long... it was looking pretty fun". But on his first wave, his landing went wrong, and he was thrown into the ocean floor, hearing a "clunk" as his body hit the sandbar. "It took a few moments for me to resurface," Johnny said. "I was pretty winded, so I was concentrating on my breath, and then a few moments later, I realised that I couldn't feel anything or move my legs." A nearby surfer helped to stabilise him on two surfboards before sprinting to a nearby beach to get help, but he was struggling to breathe due to a punctured lung and three broken ribs. Johnny had to wait 45 minutes for a lifeguard to get to him by jet ski, where he was then airlifted to a Hospital in Brisbane, the only facility in Queensland equipped with a spinal rehabilitation ward. ADVERTISEMENT "All I could think was Charlie, as we were meant to fly to New Zealand the next morning for our engagement party." Scans showed he had a burst fracture on his vertebra and a dislocation. The damage to his spinal cord was classified as ASIA A, which is the most severe form of paralysis. Although surgeons operated immediately, he was told he would never walk again. "Those were some of the darkest days of my life, and our life, to be honest," Johnny told the Daily Mail. "There is so much grief that comes with not being able to use your legs. It's like a whole version of yourself that dies." His injuries have left him unable to work, and while most spinal cord injury survivors in Australia are eligible to receive assistance through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), Johnny and Charlie have not lived long enough for citizenship or access to the scheme. The couple is having to privately fund his medical needs, specialist therapy, equipment, and daily care alongside rent. ADVERTISEMENT Charlie is now Johnny's full-time carer, while also having to find paid work to support both of them, with catheters alone costing over $21,800 per year, according to the Daily Mail. Now, the couple hopes that with community support, they can rebuild their dream lives, which will also include children in the future. Due to his injuries, Johnny and Charlie have been advised to begin IVF as soon as possible, which is another massive financial burden. "I wouldn't wish it on anyone," Johnny said.
Sydney Morning Herald
11-06-2025
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
NDIS to slash fees for key health workers to curb costs
Key National Disability Insurance Scheme health workers such as physiotherapists, dietitians and podiatrists will have their payments slashed in the new financial year as the agency that runs the $48.8 billion scheme seeks to bring down its costs. The National Disability Insurance Agency says a review of more than 10 million transactions found that many pricing limits for NDIS therapies were out of step with broader market rates. In some cases, NDIS providers were charging fees that were 68 per cent higher. The agency confirmed on Wednesday that the maximum hourly rate for NDIS physiotherapists would be cut by $10 from July 1, resulting in a new national cap of $183.99 an hour. Similarly, dieticians and podiatrists will have their maximum hourly rates slashed by $5 in the new financial year, resulting in a new national cap of $188.99 for both professions. 'Inflated therapy price points – initially established to support market development in some states and territories in 2019, do not have conclusive evidence to continue,' the NDIA said in a statement. 'Data confirms that people with disability have been paying 'NDIS premiums' for certain therapies. As a result, a number of price points have been adjusted to align with non-NDIS market rates. 'These pricing adjustments are a big step towards further safeguarding participants to ensure they are charged the same as anyone else.' While some professions have had their maximum NDIS rates cut as part of this year's annual pricing review, disability support workers will have their price limit lifted by 3.95 per cent to reflect the recent increase to the minimum wage. Introduced in 2013 by the Gillard government, the NDIS today supports up to 700,000 Australians with a disability and contributes to some 500,000 jobs.
The Age
11-06-2025
- Health
- The Age
NDIS to slash fees for key health workers to curb costs
Key National Disability Insurance Scheme health workers such as physiotherapists, dietitians and podiatrists will have their payments slashed in the new financial year as the agency that runs the $48.8 billion scheme seeks to bring down its costs. The National Disability Insurance Agency says a review of more than 10 million transactions found that many pricing limits for NDIS therapies were out of step with broader market rates. In some cases, NDIS providers were charging fees that were 68 per cent higher. The agency confirmed on Wednesday that the maximum hourly rate for NDIS physiotherapists would be cut by $10 from July 1, resulting in a new national cap of $183.99 an hour. Similarly, dieticians and podiatrists will have their maximum hourly rates slashed by $5 in the new financial year, resulting in a new national cap of $188.99 for both professions. 'Inflated therapy price points – initially established to support market development in some states and territories in 2019, do not have conclusive evidence to continue,' the NDIA said in a statement. 'Data confirms that people with disability have been paying 'NDIS premiums' for certain therapies. As a result, a number of price points have been adjusted to align with non-NDIS market rates. 'These pricing adjustments are a big step towards further safeguarding participants to ensure they are charged the same as anyone else.' While some professions have had their maximum NDIS rates cut as part of this year's annual pricing review, disability support workers will have their price limit lifted by 3.95 per cent to reflect the recent increase to the minimum wage. Introduced in 2013 by the Gillard government, the NDIS today supports up to 700,000 Australians with a disability and contributes to some 500,000 jobs.
