The Impact of Enhancing Social Care on Healthcare Use for People With Disability: Evidence From Australia

Abstract

This study examines the impact of enhanced social care provided through the Australian National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) on subsidized healthcare utilisation for people with disability. Using linked administrative datasets from 2011 to 2020, we employed a Difference-in-Difference model and the staggered rollout of the NDIS to assess its effects on healthcare services, focusing on visits to general practitioners (GP), mental healthcare providers, allied health professionals, specialists, and mental health prescriptions. The results show that the NDIS reduced subsidized mental health services and allied health services in the six quarters after enrollment. However, it did not signifi..