Medical alarms

MSD must check if the client qualifies for Disability Allowance for a medical alarm.

If the client qualifies for Disability Allowance, it must be granted before MSD assesses if the client qualifies for Temporary Additional Support.

A registered medical practitioner or nurse practitioner must complete a Disability Allowance medical certificate confirming the client's disability, the need for treatment and that a medical alarm is necessary. The certificate must also confirm the treatment is beneficial and of therapeutic value and that the costs are:

• additional and
• ongoing and
• directly related to the client's disability

Note when a medical practitioner or nurse practitioner indicates on the client's Disability Allowance medical certificate that treatment by another registered health practitioner is necessary, that practitioner must verify the costs of their services.

The client may have allowable health and disability costs for Temporary Additional Support when they do not qualify for Disability Allowance because:

• they do not meet the Disability Allowance income limit or
• their disability will last less than 6 months or
• they are certain refugees, protected persons or residence applicants

Allowable costs for Temporary Additional Support can include the costs of medical alarm rental and monitoring if:

• a medical alarm is necessary for normal daily living, without it the client's life or health would be put at risk, or their disability would get worse and
• the need for the monitored medical alarm is an ongoing, additional cost directly related to the client's disability or personal health need and
• the monitored medical alarm is supplied by an MSD-accredited medical alarm supplier, unless exceptional circumstances exist and the medical alarm services the client needs are not available through an MSD-accredited medical alarm supplier

Allowable costs for Temporary Additional Support do not include:

• buying medical alarms or smoke alarms (which are often marketed with medical alarms) because this is a one-off cost, not an ongoing cost or
• alarms installed for security reasons as this is not a cost directly related to the client's disability or
• a medical alarm cost that is included in the standard service fee for a client living in a retirement village or complex

The client must provide a:

• Disability Allowance medical certificate completed and signed by a registered medical practitioner or nurse practitioner and
• completed Disability Allowance - Medical Alarm Assessment form signed by the registered health practitioner who is providing their treatment or managing their care and
• copy of the contract or a receipt for the installation/rental of the medical alarm

MSD should check the costs claimed are for the rental and monitoring of the medical alarm and do not include:

• the cost of installing the medical alarm or
• any costs related to smoke alarms

and

• a medical alarm service provided by an MSD-accredited medical alarm supplier

The client will need to provide a copy of their contract from their supplier, when it has been agreed that a client can have the cost of a medical alarm from a non MSD-accredited supplier included as an allowable cost for Disability Allowance due to their exceptional circumstances.

The contract must clearly show the service being provided is a monitored medical alarm service.