NDIS & ICARE

The difference between ICARE and NDIS

ICARE (Insurance Care NSW) and the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) both provide support to individuals with complex health conditions and disabilities, but they serve different populations, operate under separate legal jurisdictions, and carry different funding mechanisms.

The core difference is that ICARE is compensatory insurance for injuries sustained via specific incidents (e.g., workplace or motor vehicle accidents), whereas the NDIS is a national, no-fault scheme for permanent, lifelong disabilities regardless of the cause.

  
      Comparison of icare and the National Disability Insurance Scheme
    
        Feature

          icare
          
            (NSW Insurance & Care)
          
          NDIS
          
            (National Disability Insurance Scheme)
          
        Primary Purpose

          Compensatory statutory scheme focused on rehabilitation,
          medical expenses, and loss of earnings.
        
          Universal support scheme focused on building capacity,
          independence, and social/economic inclusion.
        
        Region

          New South Wales (NSW state government).
        
          Federal / Australia-wide scheme (all states and territories).
        
        Eligibility

          Injury or severe disability resulting from a compensatory
          event, such as a workplace accident, motor vehicle crash,
          or severe trauma.
        
          Permanent and significant disability—congenital, acquired,
          intellectual, physical, or psychosocial—regardless of how
          it occurred.
        
        Age Criteria

          Varies by scheme, such as Workers Compensation or Lifetime
          Care, but generally covers any eligible worker or road user
          regardless of age.
        
          Must apply under age 65 to enter the scheme. Once approved,
          the participant remains covered for life.
        
        Goal

          Treatment, functional recovery, return-to-work or duty,
          and long-term care management for severe injury.
        
          Long-term non-medical supports, community participation,
          independent living, and goal achievement.
        
        Funding

          Broader scope including medical treatments, direct
          doctor or hospital fees, lost wages or income replacement,
          and equipment.
        
          Strictly non-medical disability supports, such as daily care,
          assistive technology, and home modifications. Does not cover
          income or medical treatment.
        
        Funding Assessment

          “Reasonable and necessary” clinical expenses related
          specifically to the accepted injury claim.
        
          “Reasonable and necessary” supports directly related to
          the participant’s permanent disability.

ICARE, unlike NDIS, provides care for people who have sustained a traumatic injury, focusing differently than NDIS.

The focus for ICARE is on Complex support capability, recovery and rehabilitation, collaboration with clinicians and case managers and clinical governance (overseen by a Registered Nurse)..

The service provider requires experience supporting people with high-risk and complex needs including mobility, transfers, positioning, continence, medication-related support, and recognising deterioration.

They support rehabilitation, independence, functional progress and long-term recovery, not just day-to-day maintenance.

To provide ICARE services, service providers require strong oversight, clear accountability, risk management systems, incident response processes and a robust workforce capability for people with a traumatic injury.

Their team understands the lived impact of traumatic injury and delivers support with dignity, consistency and respect. They work with clinicians, case managers and allied health to deliver coordinated, goal-aligned care consistently with clear communication, monitoring and timely response to change or deterioration.

NURSING GROUP HAS BEEN PROVIDING COMPLEX SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE WITH A TRAUMATIC INJURY FOR OVER THIRTY YEARS.

We have clients who have been with us for over twenty years.

WE HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED TO THE COMMISSION FOR BEST PRACTICE.

NDIS is used for people who require care for support with daily living such as personal care, community access, social activities, skill development and transport to appointments

The NDIS focus is on your choice, your control, your flexibility, daily living support and Community participation.

There are REGISTERED and UNREGISTERED NDIS Service Providers.

Below shows the difference between the two.

What is a Registered Provider?

Registered Providers are formally approved and regulated by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, meaning we must undergo rigorous independent audits that follow the NDIS Practice Standards.

This means that the Government thoroughly oversees and audits our practices to ensure that they meet the quality and safety standards.

Registered Providers can deliver services to all NDIS people no matter whether they are plan-managed or Self-managed.

All of their staff must undergo mandatory NDIS worker screening checks before working with a person to ensure they are in safe hands.

Registered Providers are legally required to deliver exclusive High-Risk and Specialist Supports such as Behaviour Support and Plan Management.

We are bound by formal incident reporting, risk management systems and direct oversight from the NDIS Commission.

We have a formal Commission Complaints Pathway.

What is an Unregistered Provider?

An Unregistered Provider delivers disability supports without undergoing the formal registration or auditing with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.

They can only deliver supports to plan-managed and self-managed participants.

They cannot deliver high-risk, restricted or specialized supports like Behaviour Support Plans (BSP).

NURSING GROUP IS A REGISTERED PROVIDER. WE HAVE BEEN AN NDIS PROVIDER SINCE IT’S INCEPTION.