Commonwealth officials told a Senate hearing on Monday the government would spend $22 million over two financial years on an advertising campaign for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, now known as DisabilityCare.

Of this, $7 million will be spent before the end of June.

Opposition disabilities spokesman Mitch Fifield suggested that the name should be reconsidered before the advertising started.

Senator Fifield that the name was "close to being hated" by people with disabilities.

"There is an element that it's patronising, that's how it's seen by many people with disabilities," Senator Fifield said.

"People with disabilities want to be empowered, want to be independent, want to be in charge and in control. The word "Care" in the title, many people with disabilities have told me, is at odds with that."

In a piece published by Fairfax Media in March, Estelle Fyffe, the chairwoman of the Victorian State Committee for National Disability Services argued the name painted an image of dependency.

"The name DisabilityCare potentially creates a perception that people with disability are being cared for. It does not reflect a scheme that should be about social and economic inclusion, human rights and building people's strengths," she wrote.

Comedian and disability activist Stella Young also criticised the name in March. ‘‘Personally, I hate the name,’’ she wrote in a piece for the ABC.

‘‘I think it's paternalistic, charity-model, carer-centric rubbish that does very little to empower people with disabilities to exercise the choice and control over our lives that the NDIS is intended to give us.’’

But Disability Discrimination Commissioner Graeme Innes said the more important issue was the work the agency did.

‘‘It’s perhaps not the name I would have chosen, but I think what’s more important is the reputation that the agency can establish,’’ he said.

Craig Wallace, the president of People with Disability Australia, said he did not like the name DisabilityCare, and would prefer the scheme be known as the National Disability Insurance Scheme. But he said he had warmed to the name DisabilityCare since Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced the scheme would be partly funded by an increase in the Medicare levy.

‘‘It’s not an issue that I’m spending a lot of time on,’’ Mr Wallace said.

A spokeswoman for Disability Reform Minister Jenny Macklin said the name DisabilityCare Australia has been chosen based on consultations with stakeholders, including people with disability, their families and carers as well as their representative organisations.

"The name resonated strongly with the local people with disability, carers and families who participated in consultations across the country," the spokeswoman said.

Tracey Bell, a communications manager for the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs told the hearing national advertising was important because people needed to understand why there would be an increase to the Medicare Levy next year and where the money would go.

"A big part of the campaign is providing information but also managing expectations," she told the hearing in Canberra, adding there were four million people with disabilities in Australia.

"We can't afford for them to think that come first of July it's their time immediately - we need to get out the message of the staged roll outs."

The advertising campaign has not yet been approved by the Minister or the Independent Communications Committee, the hearing was told.

Senator Fifield said the $22 million price tag seemed excessive.

He said the advertisements should provide factual information about who will and will not be eligible for support under the scheme.

"If the television advertisements do not make the point that of the four million Australians with disability, only 460,000 with significant disability will be supported by the NDIS, the only conclusion to be drawn would be that the government was misleading the public for political benefit," he said.

Senator Fifield said ads which contained simply a slogan and a reference to a website would be "harshly judged."

with AAP

Follow the National Times on Twitter