FUNDING ASSISTANCE
Funding for intimacy equipment works like funding for any other equipment
Intimacy aids sit in the same category as the rest of assistive technology. If an item is needed because of an injury, illness or disability, there is usually a funding pathway for it - the same way there is for a wheelchair, a shower chair or a home modification.
The difference is that most people have never been shown how that pathway works for this kind of equipment, and plenty of clinicians have never had to find out.
This page walks through it. If you would rather just ask, call us on 0493 133 667 or email welcome@focusonintimacy.com.au.
The short version
You do not need funding to buy from us. Anyone can order directly, with no referral and no login.
If you are seeking funding, we give you a quote, you or your clinician submit it to the funding body, and once approval comes through in writing we ship the item and invoice the funding body directly.
That last part matters. You are not paying up front and claiming it back later, and nobody on your support team is chasing a reimbursement.
Where do you fit?
Shopping for yourself
You do not need a prescription, a referral or a clinician's involvement to buy anything on this site. Add it to your cart and check out like any other order. No part of this site requires you to explain yourself or name a condition.
If you would like to try for funding, you can ask us for a quote and take it to your funding body yourself, or ask a clinician who already works with you to support the request.
Prescribing or supporting someone
Request a quote from any product page and it comes back with everything a funding body needs to assess it. You submit your letter or report alongside the quote. Once written approval lands with us, we ship to the participant and invoice the funding body - so there is no reimbursement to chase and no double handling for your team.
You do not need to be a specialist to start this conversation with someone. If you are unsure whether an item suits, ask us.
How the funding process works
Seven steps, and we handle three of them.
Who needs to prescribe
Many funding bodies group equipment by complexity, and the level of prescriber experience they ask for changes accordingly. Straightforward items are often fine with a generalist clinician. More complex equipment can call for someone with specific experience in that area.
This differs between schemes, so there is no single national standard to point you at. If you are a generalist clinician and you are not sure whether you are the right person to prescribe a particular item, get in touch. Supporting regional generalist clinicians through exactly this is part of why Focus on Intimacy exists.
If funding is not approved
It happens, and it is not always the end of it. Depending on the scheme, you may be able to ask for a review, resubmit with additional clinical justification, or seek funding for a different item that meets the same goal.
You can also simply buy the item directly. Nothing on this site is gated behind funding, and plenty of people order privately without ever going near a funding body.
If a request has been declined and you want to talk through the options, call us. We have seen a fair few of these.
FAQ
Common questions about funding
Do I need funding to buy from this site?
Do I need funding to buy from this site?
No. Anyone over 18 can order directly, with no referral, no prescription and no account required. Funding is an option, not a requirement.
Do I need a referral or a prescription?
Do I need a referral or a prescription?
Not to buy. If you are seeking funding, most schemes will want an assessment or report from a treating clinician to support the request.
Can a family member or support worker order for me?
Can a family member or support worker order for me?
Yes, with your consent. If funding is involved, the participant's details need to be on the order so they appear on the invoice to the funding body.
How long does approval take?
How long does approval take?
That is entirely up to the funding body and varies widely by scheme and item. We can usually turn a quote around within [X business hours], which is the part we control.
Do I pay anything up front if funding is approved?
Do I pay anything up front if funding is approved?
No. Once we have written approval, we ship the item and invoice the funding body directly.
What information do you need from the clinician?
What information do you need from the clinician?
The funding body, the participant's full name and participant number, and the delivery address and contact phone. The service or approval number comes later, once approval is granted.
Will the funding body see what I ordered?
Will the funding body see what I ordered?
The items have to be itemised on the quote and the invoice, so yes, the funding body will see what was supplied. Beyond that we share nothing. Delivery is in plain packaging and our privacy policy sets out exactly who sees what.
Can you get an item that is not listed on the site?
Can you get an item that is not listed on the site?
Often, yes. If there is something you need that we do not stock, ask. A fair bit of what is on this site is here because somebody requested it.
Not sure where to start?
If you are a clinician and you want a quote, request one from any product page and we will do the rest. If you are shopping for yourself, browse by what your body needs. And if you would rather just talk it through with a person first, get in touch with us.
