What Is the Difference Between Low, Mid and High Cost Assistive Technology Under the NDIS?

Direct Answer

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funds assistive technology (AT) across four cost tiers — low, mid, high, and very high — and the tier determines how much evidence, how many quotes, and how much planner involvement is required before a purchase can be made. Most confusion in the system stems from not knowing which tier an item sits in, and therefore what steps are actually needed. For common mobility and daily living aids, the process is often more straightforward than participants expect when they follow the NDIS Assistive Technology guidance.

The NDIS AT process and thresholds are outlined in the NDIA’s Assistive Technology guidance for participants, which explains evidence requirements, assessment expectations and approval pathways.

The Four Cost Tiers: What They Mean in Practice

Under current NDIS guidance, assistive technology is grouped into four cost bands:

Low cost AT covers items under $1,500 per item (as defined by the NDIA’s AT guidance). This includes walking frames, bed rails, shower chairs, non-slip mats, over-toilet frames, and basic manual wheelchairs. For many low-cost items, a participant can purchase directly using their plan funding without a formal AT assessment or occupational therapist (OT) report, provided the item is clearly related to their disability and meets the NDIS “reasonable and necessary” criteria.

Mid cost AT sits between $1,500 and $15,000 per item. This tier can include lower-cost powered wheelchairs, mobility scooters, lift-and-recline chairs with complex features, and adjustable profiling beds. At this level, the NDIA typically requires a quote and supporting evidence — often a letter of recommendation or functional assessment from an OT or relevant allied health professional.

High cost AT runs from $15,000 to $50,000 per item and covers items such as complex power wheelchairs, specialised seating systems, and ceiling hoists. These usually require a detailed AT assessment report from a qualified practitioner and multiple quotes, consistent with NDIA requirements.

Very high cost AT exceeds $50,000 and includes highly specialised equipment such as advanced communication devices or complex respiratory equipment. These items require comprehensive assessment and formal NDIA approval before purchase.

All tiers must meet the “reasonable and necessary” criteria set out under the NDIS Act 2013 (Cth), which requires that supports are directly related to a participant’s disability, represent value for money, and are not more appropriately funded by another service system.

Which Common Products Need an OT Report?

A basic walking stick or frame: generally no report needed if under $1,500 and clearly disability-related.

A standard manual transport wheelchair under $1,500: often purchased without a formal report, particularly for self-managed participants, provided it aligns with functional needs.

A mid-range power wheelchair at $4,000–$12,000: typically requires an OT functional assessment and supporting documentation.

A mobility scooter: usually treated as mid cost AT. An OT report confirming the participant’s mobility limitations and suitability for scooter use is standard practice.

A lift-and-recline chair: if under $1,500, it may fall within low cost AT and not require a full report; above that threshold, an OT recommendation is generally expected.

An adjustable profiling bed: generally mid cost AT and usually requires OT input confirming postural, pressure care or transfer-related needs.

The NDIA’s guidance emphasises that evidence requirements scale with complexity and risk, not just price, and that the item must clearly address the participant’s functional impairment.

Quotes, Registered Providers, and Plan Management

For mid and high cost AT, the NDIA commonly requires written quotes outlining specifications and pricing, as described in the NDIS AT guidance.

Self-managed participants have greater flexibility to purchase from non-registered providers, provided the item complies with NDIS rules and they retain invoices and documentation. Plan-managed and NDIA-managed participants may need to source equipment from NDIS-registered providers, depending on their plan management type and the support category.

Support coordinators and allied health professionals often assist in gathering reports, identifying appropriate products, and submitting AT requests to the NDIA where a variation or plan reassessment is required.

For structural AT installations such as ceiling hoists or fixed grab rails that fall into higher-cost or higher-risk categories, working with an experienced home modification provider such as Mobility Access Modifications can help ensure the equipment specification aligns with therapist recommendations and NDIS documentation requirements.

How a Knowledgeable Supplier Shortens the Process

Retailers familiar with NDIS AT categories — such as Auswaycare in Melbourne — can help identify the correct cost tier for a product, flag whether an OT report is likely required, and liaise with a participant’s therapist to ensure the product specification matches what the NDIA expects to see in an assessment.

For participants without a support coordinator, this kind of supplier-side familiarity with the NDIS Assistive Technology process can reduce delays caused by incomplete evidence, incorrect tier assumptions, or mismatched quotes.