The federal government is set to rein in spending on the NDIS by raising the bar for children with autism to access the scheme.
Children with autism will have to meet steeper requirements to access funding after a report found the NDIS may be responsible for a large increase in autism diagnoses.
ANU doctoral research found that the growth in autism in Australia is higher than in other countries, including the US, UK and Canada, and a researcher argues it is “plausible” it’s because of the financial incentives created by the NDIS.
People with autism and developmental delays account for 45 per cent of NDIS participants, with the average autism participant receiving $33,800 a year, according to NDIS data.
The NDIS will cost taxpayers $42 billion this year and is forecast to hit $90 billion by 2031.
