Q&A About Government, Medical & Taxation Rebates

The good news is YES you can.  There is both Government, Private Health Care and Medical Taxation  financial support.

Finding the relevant information regarding these financial assistance programs can be difficult, so we have listed some information and the relevant organisations to help you.

Each State has its own set of rules and requirements to get subsidies for your hair wigs , toppers, hair extensions, hair systems, for female hair loss and female hair thinning caused by trichotillomania   

In Victoria, if you have alopecia or need to wear a wig because of other medical conditions, you are entitled to a subsidy.

 Google  www.swep.bhs.org.au

Wigs may be provided to persons with permanent hair loss as a result of disease or disability. You must be a Victorian resident, living independently in the community.

A SWEP application form allows SWEP to determine your eligibility. This is available on our website.    Your doctor, Dermatologist, Medical Oncologist, or Radiation Oncologist will need to certify that you are suffering from permanent loss of hair as a result of disease or disability.

The maximum subsidy available is $240 per 2 years for two basic synthetic wigs for adults or $600 per 2 years for one human hair wig for a child 16 years and under. Replacement of a wig will be available after a minimum of 2 years.

Your wig supplier must provide a quote that includes the following information: • their name, address, contact details and ABN • your full name and address • the full name, description and cost of the wig • GST • estimated delivery timeframe • quote validity — the quote must be valid for a minimum 30 days when received by SWEP. SWEP’s preference is 90 days.

You or the supplier can forward the quote and SWEP application form directly to SWEP.

You will need to complete a SWEP Gap Funding Form if the cost of the wig is more than the maximum subsidy. SWEP will send you a letter to tell you the status of your application. The Gap Funding Form will be included with the letter if gap funding is required.

No, SWEP do not provide funds retrospectively, which means SWEP will not reimburse or subsidise any costs associated with a wig that you have committed to purchasing. If you commit to purchasing the wig at any time before SWEP raise the Purchase Order your application will be cancelled, regardless of your eligibility.

Once the application has been approved and SWEP has received confirmation of any gap funding required your application will be placed on a wait list until funding becomes available. SWEP are unable to give a timeframe.

Once funding becomes available SWEP will raise a Purchase Order and send it, together with a Proof of Delivery form to the supplier and you will receive a letter advising this has happened.

The supplier will contact you to confirm the order and arrange a suitable time for delivery or collection of the wig. The wig supplier will ask you to sign the Proof of Delivery form when you receive the wig.

The wig supplier may ask for payment of any amount over the SWEP subsidy once they receive the SWEP Purchase Order or they may wait until the wig is delivered or collected by you.

The supplier will get you to sign this then send it together with their invoice to SWEP for payment. They will not be paid unless the signed Proof of Delivery form is supplied.

The government department you need to speak to is, the Program of Appliances for Disabled People (PADP), a NSW Government program for people with disabilities.

The role of the PADP is to assist eligible residents of NSW who have a permanent or long-term disability to live and participate in their community by providing appropriate equipment, aids, appliances and prosthesis human hair wigs ONLY.

Our advice is that you contact the NSW Department of Health directly as the website doesn’t seem to provide specific information.

Contact Information for PADP:

Tel: 02 9391 9000
73 Miller Street
North Sydney, NSW 2060

The Department for Families and Communities (DFC) Equipment program supplies wigs or a contribution towards a wig for eligible clients.

Wigs may be provided in the following circumstances:

• The client has a personal loss of hair as a result of treatment for a major illness (eg. alopecia or oncology).
  
• Is at least 12 months since the initial issue of the wig from the acute care service provider (eg. hospital)
• Is at least 12 months since provision of the last synthetic wig or at least five years since the provision of the last human hair wig.
  

DFC Equipment Program does not provide the issue of the initial wig following the treatment of an illness. This will be supplied by the hospital or acute service provider.

You can contact the Domiciliary Equipment Service on 08 8193 1232 to discuss whether you may be eligible and to obtain an application form.

If you are covered for extras in your health insurance you can claim a rebate towards a new wig, topper, hair piece, hair system, or hair extensions for certain types of  female medical hair loss.    You will need a letter from your doctor, dermatologist, or specialist  explaining your female  hair loss situation

Some are quite generous (up to $1000) and others are kind of stingy. Regardless of how much you receive, you should make the best use of it. How much you will receive will depend upon your level of cover and eligibility

Some Health Funds provide a rebate for those experiencing medical hair loss, however they vary from fund to fund as well as to the type of health care coverage undertaken. It is best to discuss your particular claim with your Heath Fund provider.

Quick Tips

• Look over the table, and make sure you receive your full benefit.
• Ring up you health insurer to find out the conditions — some will only cover ‘human hair wigs’ or ‘natural hair wigs

While some health insurance policies require the policy holder to pay for their HAIR WIG,  and then reimburse them, others will provide you with the money prior to your purchase. The availability of this form of financial assistance varies according to provider, so you’ll have to check with your Health Fund to find out if you can make a claim

The figures below where correct  as from August 1 2023

Please do your research as Medical companies change their requirements from time to time

AHM – Super extras

$160 back up to $300 per year

HCF – Vital Extras

$150 back

HCF – Top extras

$200 back

NIB – Wellbeing extras

$250 back

NIB – Top extras

$500 back

GMHBA – Mid extras

$200 back every 3 years

GMHBA – Top extras

$250 back every 3 years

BUPA – Top 60

$500 back

Bupa – Top 75

$800 back

Bupa – Top 90

$1000 back

Once you know the cover you can receive, let us know, so we can invoice you correctly so you can receive the full benefit that you are entitled to.

Most individuals will qualify for a tax rebate on their wig under the Taxation Ruling TR93/34. Section 159P of this ruling allows for tax rebates on net medical expenses. Those expenses include the cost of medical or surgical appliances that are prescribed by a qualified medical professional, such as a medical or surgical wig. Individuals are entitled to a rebate for net medical expenses that exceed $1,000

Please check with your Tax Advisor but you should be able to add the cost of your wig to your medical claims under the Taxation Ruling TR93/34.

Below are some sections quoted from the ATO website relating to the Income Tax: Medical Expense Rebate (Taxation Ruling TR93/34).

Section 159P allows a rebate for net medical expenses exceeding $1,000. Net medical expenses includes: payments for a ‘medical or surgical appliance’ prescribed by a legally qualified medical practitioner. A ‘medical or surgical appliance’ for the purposes of paragraph (f) of the definition of ‘medical expenses’ in subsection 159P (4) is an instrument, apparatus or device which is:

 Medical or surgical wigs for use by a person which is necessitated by loss of hair through sickness or disease (other than naturally occurring baldness) or the effects of the treatment of sickness or disease.

Salon T hope you have found this information on receiving funds for your Female human hair wigs, hair toppers, hair extensions or human hair female hair systems for female hair loss and hair thinning to be helpful and beneficial

Please know that Zak and his team  are always there to answer any of your questions and help you solve your hair loss and hair thinning concerns caused by your trichotillomania   Message or call us on 0434 531 531