Changes to NDIS
Covid-19 udpated 26th March, 2020
Update on provider coronavirus (COVID-19) measures
The NDIA understands that coronavirus (COVID-19) may significantly impact providers.
To help you to continue to deliver supports to participants through this time, the NDIA is introducing a number of changes, including:
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An advance payment to registered providers
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A temporary 10 per cent increase to the price limit of some Core and Capacity Building supports
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Changes to the cancellation rules
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Introducing three new support coordination items under Core Supports
Advance payments for providers
The NDIA has introduced a one-off advance payment for registered providers to assist in the expected temporary increase in costs to deliver supports due to the COVID-19 virus.
All registered providers that received a payment in February 2020 and at least one other payment in December 2019 or January 2020 are eligible for the advance payment, which will be automatically paid. Providers do not need to do anything to access this payment.
The advance payment aims to assist registered providers with immediate cash flow and will be required to be repaid in the future. Providers can opt out of this payment.
Eligible providers will be emailed with further details. If you haven’t received an email and think you qualify, please send an email to Provider.Support@ndis.gov.au, and include your organisation’s legal business name and ABN.
Temporary 10 per cent increase
Effective 25 March 2020, price limits for some supports have been increased temporarily. These supports include:
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Assistance with Daily Life (excluding Supported Independent Living)
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Assistance with Social and Community Participation
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Improved Health and Wellbeing (excluding personal training)
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Improved Daily Living Skills
Cancellations
Effective 25 March 2020, participants will be required to give 10 business days’ notice for a cancellation if they want to avoid paying the full fee for a cancelled service. Previously, participants were required to give two business days’ notice.
From 30 March, providers will also be able to claim 100 per cent of the agreed support price when a participant cancels a service at short notice (up from 90 per cent).
Three new support coordination items under Core Supports
Effective 25 March 2020, participants can flexibly use their Core or Capacity Building budgets for support coordination. To allow participants to use their funds more flexibly, three new support coordination items have been introduced to the support catalogue under Core Supports, Assistance with Daily Life as follows:
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01_790_0106_8_3 - Level 1: Support Connection
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01_791_0106_8_3 - Level 2: Coordination Of Supports
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01_793_0106_8_3 - Level 3: Specialist Support Coordination
The new lines items duplicate items already claimable under Capacity Building Supports.
Visit the Price Guide page for more information about advance payment, pricing increases and changes to cancellation policy.
Please visit the NDIS and disaster response page to remain up to date with all the NDIA is doing to manage COVID-19.
Transport Costs updated 16 Janaury, 2020
Recent changes to Transport costs occurred in the October 2019 Price Guide Update. What does this mean?
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Transport funding is NOT flexible
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Only NDIA-managed Transport can be claimed from the portal
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If funding is paid to the participant’s bank account in instalments, invoices are to be sent to the participant for payment of these accounts
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If transport costs exceed the amount allocated in the participants plan, these costs will be billed to the participant as an out of pocket expense
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If a participant does not have a transport budget allocated in their plan, these costs are unable to be claimed from NDIA and will be billed to the participant
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Transport costs include: vehicle running costs (only while participant is in the vehicle) billed at $0.78/km as per the Service Agreement & costs associated (e.g parking fee $5)
If you would like further clarification around any of the information provided above, please contact us at any time.