Support at Home equipment list: how to check what is covered

Use the current official list

The Department of Health publishes the Assistive Technology and Home Modifications list. Use that source rather than an old screenshot or a retailer's summary. Check the publication version with your provider before relying on a category, particularly for unfamiliar equipment. Keep the official link with your notes so everyone is referring to the same document.

A useful way to read it is to separate three questions: what sort of support is listed, what assessment or prescription it needs, and whether the actual product meets the person's needs. Those are different questions. A supplier can help describe its product, but cannot settle the other two by placing a category code on an invoice.

Equipment and home modifications have different roles

My Aged Care gives examples including walking frames, sticks, wheelchairs, bathing equipment and communication aids. It also describes home modifications such as rails and ramps. These examples illustrate the scope of support; they do not establish that a specific make, model or purchase is approved.

For your own discussion, begin with the activity and environment. If the difficulty is at a doorway, explain the doorway. If it is managing equipment during an outing, explain the outing. Avoid presenting a wearable device as the answer to every difficulty simply because it can be carried between locations. A professional may suggest a different kind of support.

How to ask about a walking-support product

Bring the exact product name and a concise description of what it does. Exo Motion Pro provides powered hip assistance for selected adults who already walk independently. It does not provide the hand-held balance point of a stick, the support base of a walker or the seated mobility of a wheelchair. Our comparison guide explains those distinctions.

Ask the reviewer to identify the relevant category and any evidence needed for this person. Do not assume that a device is approved because it is marketed for seniors, has a medical-device listing or has helped another customer. An Exo Motion suitability discussion can explain fitting and operation, but does not decide eligibility.

Use this provider discussion checklist

• What goal or difficulty is recorded in the person's support plan?
• Which current list category would the proposed item need to satisfy?
• Is a prescription or further assessment required, and who arranges it?
• What product evidence, quote and fitting information should the supplier send?
• Is the approved allocation sufficient, and what contribution may apply?
• Who will authorise the order and confirm the invoice and delivery details?
• What happens if the proposed item is unsuitable or not approved?

Keep the answers in one place. The family member who books a demonstration may not be the person receiving provider emails. Agree who is coordinating the conversation, with the intended user's permission, so the supplier does not receive conflicting instructions.

Listed does not mean automatically funded

The department's scheme guidance ties AT-HM expenditure to eligible listed items and assessed needs in the support plan. It also excludes some categories of expenditure. When a product is unclear, ask the provider to resolve the question before treating funding as part of your budget.

This distinction matters more than a marketing phrase such as "free mobility equipment". Read our guide to free and funded claims before making a financial commitment. If approval is essential, do not make a private purchase on the assumption that a provider will reimburse it later.

What happens after the category discussion?

If Exo Motion remains an option, we can provide specifications, safety information and an itemised quote. With written consent, we can coordinate supplier questions with your care manager. Our quotation checklist explains what to prepare. A free eligible Sydney visit can help assess fit and practical use without a purchase obligation.

Funding may be unavailable, pending or declined. That is not a reason to ignore suitability or rush a decision. Suitable customers can separately consider A$2,499 purchase or private senior rental at A$129 per week, minimum four weeks. Read the prices and conditions, then decide whether either option fits the household's needs.