A better alternative to the NDIS

Comments on Gary Johns "Middle-class welfare must be squeezed to help the disabled" 2/08/2012 http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/middle-class-welfare-must-be-squeezed-to-help-the-disabled/story-fn8v83qk-1226440702411

While the NDIS has its merits, I think it would be even better to introduce a national, voluntary and tiered scheme similar in spirit to the proposed NDIS.

Such a scheme should have a standard contribution rates similar to a levy, but whether a person pays or not is voluntary. Besides the standard rates, one can also be allowed to choose a lower rate for a lower level insurance. If a person pays, then he/she and his/her family are covered by such an insurance.

With this voluntary scheme, there is a national register which shows the records of people's "insurance" that will be used for "claims". Low/no income people are also covered, as their taxation records can be matched with to show whether they have paid their voluntary premier or not.

Such a scheme should be better than the current proposed NDIS. It would be a real insurance as opposed to a general taxation/levy, which blurs incentives and responsibilities at may levels including politicians and bureaucrats.