Impairment categories guide

FOI 25/26-0524 DOCUMENT 11

Impairment categories guide SGP KP Publishing

Exported on 2025-11-23 22:23:23

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FOI 25/26-0524 SGP KP Publishing – Impairment categories guide

Table of Contents

1 Recent updates …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4

2 Impairments categories guide ……………………………………………………………………………….. 5

3 Conditions …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 6 3.1 Autism (ASD) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 6 3.2 Acquired brain injury …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 6 3.3 Intellectual disability ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 6 3.4 Cerebral Palsy …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 8 3.5 Down Syndrome ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 9 3.6 Hearing Impairment ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 9 3.7 Visual Impairment ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 9 3.8 Other Sensory – Speech ………………………………………………………………………………………. 9 3.9 Multiple Sclerosis …………………………………………………………………………………………………. 9 3.10 Other Neurological ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 10 3.11 Stroke ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 10 3.12 Other Physical ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 11 3.13 Psychosocial disability …………………………………………………………………………………….. 11 3.14 Spinal Cord Injury …………………………………………………………………………………………… 12 3.15 Other …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 12

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This article provides guidance for all NDIA staff and partners to understand which impairment categories to select for a person that meets the eligibility requirements.

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1 Recent updates

7 July 2025 Guidance language update. There is new language for required impairment category or optional impairment categories. This is now Highly likely impairment category and commonly associated impairment categories.

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2 Impairments categories guide

Impairments are a loss of or damage to a body’s function. When we assess an impairment to meet access, we look at:

• the body’s function

• the body’s structure

• how they think and learn.

To learn more about impairment categories go to article Descriptions of impairment categories.

The following list provides you with information on the:

• condition

• ICD 10 Codes

• highly likely impairment category for access assessors to select

• commonly associated impairment categories to select as relevant, based on evidence provided.

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3 Conditions

3.1 Autism (ASD)

1. Autism – includes Rett and Asperger Syndrome

ICD 10 Codes: F84.0, F84.2, F84.5 Highly likely impairment category: Neurological Commonly associated impairment categories: Intellectual, cognitive, physical, psychosocial

3.2 Acquired brain injury

1. Glioblastoma ICD 10 Code: G71.9 Highly likely impairment category: Neurological Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, physical, psychosocial

2. Hypoxic brain injury ICD 10 Code: 93.1 Highly likely impairment category: Neurological Commonly associated impairment categories: Physical, psychosocial

3. Traumatic brain injury – also called head injury and acquired brain damage

ICD 10 Code: T90 Highly likely impairment category: Neurological Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, physical, psychosocial

3.3 Intellectual disability

1. Mild intellectual disability ICD 10 Code: F70 Highly likely impairment category: Intellectual Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive

2. Moderate intellectual disability ICD 10 Code: F71 Highly likely impairment category: Intellectual Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, physical, psychosocial

3. Severe intellectual disability ICD 10 Code: F72 Highly likely impairment category: Intellectual Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, physical, psychosocial

4. Profound intellectual disability ICD 10 Code: F73 Highly likely impairment category: Intellectual Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, physical, psychosocial

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5. Unspecified intellectual disability ICD 10 Code: F79 Highly likely impairment category: Intellectual Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, sensory, physical, psychosocial

6. Pervasive developmental disorder ICD 10 Code: F84.8 Highly likely impairment category: Intellectual Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, sensory, psychosocial

7. Microcephaly ICD 10 Code: Q02 Highly likely impairment category: Intellectual Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, neurological, sensory, physical

8. Other congenital brain conditions – for example, tuberous sclerosis

ICD 10 Code: Q04 Highly likely impairment category: Intellectual Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, neurological, physical

9. Spina bifida ICD 10 Code: Q05 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment categories: Intellectual, cognitive, sensory, neurological

10. Foetal alcohol syndrome ICD 10 Code: Q86.0 Highly likely impairment category: Neurological Commonly associated impairment categories: Intellectual, cognitive, sensory, physical, psychosocial

11. Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) ICD 10 Code: Q86.0D Highly likely impairment category: Neurological Commonly associated impairment categories: Intellectual, cognitive, sensory, physical, psychosocial

12. Cornelia de Lange syndrome ICD 10 Code: Q87.1 Highly likely impairment category: Intellectual Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, neurological, sensory, physical, psychosocial

13. Prader Willi syndrome ICD 10 Code: Q87.1 Highly likely impairment category: Intellectual Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, neurological, physical, psychosocial

14. Coffin-Lowry syndrome ICD 10 Code: Q87.8

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Highly likely impairment category: Intellectual Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, neurological, sensory, physical, psychosocial

15. Other congenital conditions (causing intellectual disability) ICD 10 Code: Q89 Highly likely impairment category: Intellectual Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, neurological, sensory, physical, psychosocial

16. Edwards syndrome ICD 10 Code: Q91 Highly likely impairment category: Intellectual Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, neurological, sensory, physical, psychosocial

17. Patau syndrome ICD 10 Code: Q91 Highly likely impairment category: Intellectual Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, neurological, sensory, physical, psychosocial

18. Cri du Chat syndrome ICD 10 Code: Q93.4 Highly likely impairment category: Intellectual Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, sensory, physical

19. Angelman syndrome ICD 10 Code: Q93.5 Highly likely impairment category: Intellectual Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, sensory, physical

20. Other chromosomal syndromes (including Kabuki & Williams syndromes) ICD 10 Code: Q99 Highly likely impairment category: Intellectual Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, neurological, sensory, physical, psychosocial

21. Fragile X syndrome ICD 10 Code: Q99.2 Highly likely impairment category: Intellectual Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, neurological, sensory, physical, psychosocial

3.4 Cerebral Palsy

1. Cerebral palsy ICD 10 Code: G80 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment categories: Intellectual, cognitive, neurological, sensory

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3.5 Down Syndrome

1. Down syndrome ICD 10 Code: Q90 Highly likely impairment category: Intellectual Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, physical

3.6 Hearing Impairment

1. Hearing loss ICD 10 Code: H90 Highly likely impairment category: Sensory Commonly associated impairment category: Cognitive

2. Congenital hearing condition ICD 10 Code: Q16.9 Highly likely impairment category: Sensory Commonly associated impairment category: Cognitive

3.7 Visual Impairment

1. Albinism ICD 10 Code: E70.3 Highly likely impairment category: Sensory Commonly associated impairment category: Not applicable

2. Visual impairment (including blindness) ICD 10 Code: H54 Highly likely impairment category: Sensory Commonly associated impairment category: Not applicable

3. Congenital eye conditions ICD 10 Code: Q15.9 Highly likely impairment category: Sensory Commonly associated impairment category: Not applicable

3.8 Other Sensory – Speech

1. Other sensory – speech ICD 10 Code: R47 Highly likely impairment category: Sensory Commonly associated impairment category: Physical

3.9 Multiple Sclerosis

1. Multiple Sclerosis ICD 10 Code: G35 Highly likely impairment category: Neurological Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, physical, psychosocial

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3.10 Other Neurological

1. Alzheimer’s disease ICD 10 Code: F00 Highly likely impairment category: Cognitive Commonly associated impairment categories: Neurological, physical, psychosocial

2. Unspecified dementia ICD 10 Code: F03 Highly likely impairment category: Cognitive Commonly associated impairment categories: Neurological, physical, psychosocial

3. Huntington disease ICD 10 Code: G10 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, neurological, psychosocial

4. Motor neurone disease ICD 10 Code: G12.2 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, neurological, sensory, psychosocial

5. Parkinson’s disease ICD 10 Code: G20 Highly likely impairment category: Neurological Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, physical, psychosocial

6. Epilepsy – Mandatory TAPIB ICD 10 Code: G40 Highly likely impairment category: Neurological Commonly associated impairment categories: Intellectual, cognitive, psychosocial

7. Muscular dystrophy ICD 10 Code: G71.0 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment category: Neurological

8. Other Neurological – List A and List C ICD 10 Code: G99 Highly likely impairment category: Neurological Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, sensory, physical

3.11 Stroke

1. Stroke ICD 10 Code: I69 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, neurological, sensory, psychosocial

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3.12 Other Physical

1. Rheumatoid arthritis ICD 10 Code: M05 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment category: Not applicable

2. Other arthritis – mandatory TAPIB ICD 10 Code: M12 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment category: Not applicable

3. Other physical ICD 10 Code: M95 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment category: Psychosocial

4. Multiple traumatic amputations ICD 10 Code: T05 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment category: Psychosocial

5. Myopathy ICD 10 Code: G72.9 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment category: Not applicable

3.13 Psychosocial disability

1. Schizophrenia ICD 10 Code: F20 Highly likely impairment category: Psychosocial Commonly associated impairment category: Cognitive

2. Schizoaffective disorder ICD 10 Code: F25.9 Highly likely impairment category: Psychosocial Commonly associated impairment category: Cognitive

3. Bipolar affective disorder ICD 10 Code: F31 Highly likely impairment category: Psychosocial Commonly associated impairment category: Cognitive

4. Major depressive illness ICD 10 Code: F32 Highly likely impairment category: Psychosocial Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive

5. Other anxiety disorders ICD 10 Code: F41 Highly likely impairment category: Psychosocial Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive

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6. Obsessive-compulsive disorder ICD 10 Code: F42 Highly likely impairment category: Psychosocial Commonly associated impairment category: Not applicable

7. Post traumatic stress disorder ICD 10 Code: F43 Highly likely impairment category: Psychosocial Commonly associated impairment category: Cognitive

8. Borderline personality disorder ICD 10 Code: F60.3 Highly likely impairment category: Psychosocial Commonly associated impairment category: Not applicable

9. Tourette syndrome ICD 10 Code: F95.2 Highly likely impairment category: Neurological Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, physical, psychosocial

10. Other psychosocial disorders ICD 10 Code: F99 Highly likely impairment category: Psychosocial Commonly associated impairment category: Cognitive

11. Anorexia ICD 10 Code: R63 Highly likely impairment category: Psychosocial Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, physical

3.14 Spinal Cord Injury

1. Malignant neoplasm of spinal cord complete and incomplete ICD 10 Code: C72.5, C72.7 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment categories: Neurological, sensory

2. Spinal cord injury (complete) ICD 10 Code: T09.5 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment categories: Neurological, sensory, psychosocial

3. Spinal cord injury (incomplete) ICD 10 Code: T09.7 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment categories: Neurological, sensory, psychosocial

3.15 Other

1. Malignant neoplasm of brain ICD 10 Code: C71 Highly likely impairment category: Neurological

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Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, psychosocial

2. Metastatic cancer ICD 10 Code: C79.9 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment category: Cognitive

3. Malignant neoplasm of blood or immune disease ICD 10 Code: C96 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment category: Cognitive

4. Autoimmune disorders ICD 10 Code: D89.9 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment category: Cognitive

5. Obesity – mandatory TAPIB ICD 10 Code: E66 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment category: Psychosocial

6. Classical phenylketonuria ICD 10 Code: E70.0 Highly likely impairment category: Cognitive Commonly associated impairment category: Psychosocial

7. Disorders of pyruvate metabolism and gluconeogenesis ICD 10 Code: E74.4 Highly likely impairment category: Intellectual Commonly associated impairment categories: Neurological, physical

8. Other metabolic disorders ICD 10 Code: E88 Highly likely impairment category: Intellectual Commonly associated impairment categories: Neurological, physical

9. Dementia – rapidly progressing ICD 10 Code: F03.9 Highly likely impairment category: Cognitive Commonly associated impairment category: Not applicable

10. Functional neurological disorder (FND) – mandatory TAPIB ICD 10 Code: F44.4 Highly likely impairment category: Neurological Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, sensory, physical

11. Other language disorder ICD 10 Code: F80 Highly likely impairment category: Cognitive Commonly associated impairment category: Not applicable

12. Peripheral neuropathy – does NOT require TAPIB ICD 10 Code: F90.0

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Highly likely impairment category: Neurological Commonly associated impairment categories: Sensory, physical

13. Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) ICD 10 Code: F91.3 Highly likely impairment category: Cognitive Commonly associated impairment category: Psychosocial

14. Other hereditary ataxias ICD 10 Code: G11.8 Highly likely impairment category: Neurological Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, sensory, physical

15. Dementia – early onset ICD 10 Code: G30.0 Highly likely impairment category: Cognitive Commonly associated impairment category: Not applicable

16. Plegia ICD 10 Code: G83.1 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment category: Neurological

17. Chronic pain – mandatory TAPIB ICD 10 Code: G89.4 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment categories: Sensory, psychosocial

18. Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) – mandatory TAPIB ICD 10 Code: I49.8 Highly likely impairment category: Neurological Commonly associated impairment category: Physical

19. Lymphoedema – mandatory TAPIB ICD 10 Code: I89.0 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment category: Not applicable

20. Chronic lung disease ICD 10 Code: J44.9 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment category: Not applicable

21. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) – mandatory TAPIB ICD 10 Code: J44.9A Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment category: Not applicable

22. Osteoarthritis – mandatory TAPIB ICD 10 Code: M19.9 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment category: Not applicable

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23. Systemic lupus erythematosus ICD 10 Code: M32 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment category: Not applicable

24. Ankylosing spondylitis ICD 10 Code: M45 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment category: Not applicable

25. Fibromyalgia ICD 10 Code: M79.7 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment category: Sensory

26. Renal failure ICD 10 Code: N18 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment category: Not applicable

27. Ehlers Danlos – does NOT require TAPIB ICD 10 Code: Q79.6 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment category: Not applicable

28. Dyslexia ICD 10 Code: R48 Highly likely impairment category: Cognitive Commonly associated impairment category: Psychosocial

29. Childhood apraxia of speech ICD 10 Code: R48.2 Highly likely impairment category: Neurological Commonly associated impairment category: Cognitive

30. Short stature ICD 10 Code: R62.5 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment category: Not applicable

31. Amputation – single limb or upper/lower limb ICD 10 Code: Z89 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, sensory, psychosocial

32. Amputation – multiple ICD 10 Code: Z89.1 Highly likely impairment category: Physical Commonly associated impairment categories: Cognitive, sensory, psychosocial

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