We’re thrilled to share that BudgetNet were the winner of the ‘Professional Services Award’ in the 2023 City of Melton Business Excellence Awards. We’re so proud of this wonderful achievement recognising the hard work, dedication, and contribution of the team on behalf of our participants. We’re passionate about our local community and providing quality service and support.
Why is nib Group purchasing BudgetNet’s business?
Who is nib?
Who is Maple Plan?
nib has recently acquired a few different plan management companies, including one called Maple Plan Pty Ltd. The BudgetNet business will operate under the Maple Plan NDIS registration in the background, but we will continue to be known as BudgetNet for the immediate future.
Will my terms of service change?
No. The terms of the service agreement that you have with BudgetNet will not change. As always, you have the choice and control of who you chose as your plan manager. If we don’t hear from you by 21 September 2023, we will provide you with a new service agreement to reflect that the BudgetNet business is being operated under the Maple Plan Pty Ltd NDIS registration, but otherwise on the same terms.
Will there be changes to the branding or my dedicated plan manager?
Will there be changes to the way I submit invoices, or the way in which they are paid?
No, submitting your invoices and claims will continue in exactly the same way, the process of approving these and having them paid will also continue in the same way.
There will be no change to the payment terms – your trusted providers will continue to receive the same level of service at the same quick rate.
Do I need to do anything differently to what I currently do?
No, please continue to contact us when you need assistance, we will continue to look after your plan management in the same way we always have.
If I choose to cease my plan management with BudgetNet, how do I go about this?
We respect the rights of our participants and a key value we share with the NDIS is choice and control. If you want to, you can always leave BudgetNet and move to another Plan Manager. Please contact us and we can assist you in doing this.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Participant Service Guarantee and other measures) Act 2022 is here to help make the NDIS process easier for participants and their families.
The changes to the NDIS Act should reduce the red tape, increase flexibility and set clear decision timeframes for participants.
From Friday, 1 July 2022.
Remember, the NDIA cannot change your plan without talking with you first. The changes to the NDIA Act have been put in place to make the NDIS a smoother, more transparent and participant focused scheme.
The NDIA have released information about the changes to the NDIS laws here: https://www.ndis.gov.au/news/7975-2022-ndis-legislation-amendments-july-update#summary
The information in this article is correct up to the date of publishing: 06/07/22
Some of the services you receive will have different prices and different codes.
Price changes will start from Friday 1st July, 2022.
The main changes which will impact you as a participant are summarised below.
Remember, if your providers are making any changes to the pricing of your supports they need to get your approval before making changes to their hourly rates.
Hourly rates for some of your supports have increased because the NDIS has decided to pay Disability Support Workers more. This means your invoices for ongoing, regular supports may change.
To make sure that you still receive the same amount of support, the NDIS will give you more money in your plan to cover this additional cost. You don’t need to do anything – if support is in your plan, then the NDIS will automatically ‘top up’ the funds in your plan.
For example, the rate for a support worker for basic weekday support has increased from $57.10p/h to $62.17p/h.
Below we’ve listed the support categories where you may see a price increase:
Your services should not be affected as a result of this change. Providers will be entitled to charge extra for some of the direct supports they provide.
There have been some additional line items added to the Improved Daily Living category to include specific therapies that would have previously come under the “other therapies” line item. This includes Occupational Therapist, Art Therapist, Audiologist, Social Worker, Speech Pathologist, Teacher, Counsellor, Developmental Educator, Dietitian, Exercise Physiologist, Music Therapist, Orthoptist, Podiatrist and Rehabilitation Counsellor.
For any therapies that do not fit within the above categories the NDIA has maintained the “Other professionals” line item 15_056_0126_1_3. This line item is for professionals who are delivering supports in line with the NDIS Commission requirements for either Early Intervention Supports or Early Childhood Registration Group or the Therapeutic Supports Registration Group.
So you may see different codes and different descriptions on your invoices. Don’t worry about this change – we will check the invoices to make sure your providers are up-to-date on the changes.
Your services should not be affected as a result of this change.
Providers can now charge up to 100% of the support fee if you cancel their service within 7 ‘clear’ days of the agreed appointment date. This has been extended from the previous 5-day cancellation period. Providers may have their own cancellation terms for example 48-hour cancellation period. This will be outlined in the Service Agreement you have with each of your providers. If you’re concerned about cancellation charges, it is best to raise this directly with your service provider.
Your services may be affected as a result of this change. Remember to check your Service Agreement to ensure you don’t get charged when you change your mind about needing a pre-booked service.
Subscription Services are items or supports that are paid in advance, usually on a monthly or yearly basis. Subscription services can now only be claimed if they come from the Consumables or Assistive Technology category of your plan.
This may effect some subscription services paid from other funding category such as increased social and community participation/CB social and community. If you question about this change, contact our team on 1300 402 568.
Service Providers who provide services under the category Core Support will now be able to claim for travel back to their place of work. They can claim for up to 30 minutes travel in most areas, or up to 60 minutes if you live in a remote area. You need to give consent to this additional charge.
You may be affected as a result of this change if your service provider requests this extra charge. You did not need to agree to this charge.
Transitional arrangements remain in place for group-based supports in the Assistance with Social, Economic and Community Participant Support Category until 30 June 2023. This means that providers offering group or centre-based supports in this category can either continue to use the pricing arrangements from 2019-20 or switch to the new pricing arrangements.
Your services should not be affected as a result of this change.
There was a change to the classification of low cost, mid cost, and high-cost AT back in February.
Here is a summary of the new pricing guides to each Assistive Technology category.
Low cost assistive technology: items that cost less than $1,500
Mid cost assistive technology: items that cost between $1,500 to $15,000
High cost assistive technology: items that cost more than $15,000
The NDIS also have a great resource for anyone looking for more assistance around Assistive Technology
Do you have questions about the above changes?
Our plan managers are here to help. Reach out to the team on 1300 402 568 or email ndis@budgetnet.com.au
NDIS Pricing Arrangements: https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/pricing-arrangements
NDIS Pricing Updates: https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/pricing-arrangements/pricing-updates
The information in this article is up to date at the time of publishing- 30 June 2022.
NDIS participants that need to use a RAT in order to receive reasonable and necessary supports, may be eligible to purchase RAT’s through their core supports.
For example, if a participant needs to complete a test twice a week to attend their regular day program they may be able to request a reimbursement for RAT’s purchased for this use.
It’s important to remember that the tests claimed through your NDIS plan can only be used to access NDIS supports and not for personal use.
The cost of a RAT will be deducted from the core category of an NDIS plan. Funds are flexible within this category. If you’re plan managed with BudgetNet you can check your monthly statement, budget tracking app or contact us on 1300 402 568 to check your funding levels.
If you are concerned about not having enough core funding to cover this purchase, you can contact the NDIS on 1800 800 110.
NDIS participants can purchase the necessary number of tests needed to receive their reasonable and necessary supports. This will look different for each person based on the number of supports they receive on a weekly basis and the testing requirements for these supports.
If your support worker needs to take a test to ensure they are COVID negative and therefore safe to deliver your supports, you may also purchase a RAT for them.
You cannot claim RAT’s for social visitors to your home. The purchase of a RAT is only for NDIS participants and their support workers in order to access NDIS supports.
If you are plan managed with BudgetNet, send us your valid receipt and we will reimburse the amount into your nominated account. It’s important to check your core funding level to ensure there are enough funds to cover this purchase before you make the payment.
Find out more about claiming a refund through your NDIS plan.
These measures will remain in place while the pandemic continues to affect the way participants receive supports. We will continue to update you with any changes made by the NDIS and update our information accordingly.
You may also be eligible to receive up to 10 RATs over a 3 month period (Max 5 per 1 month) through community pharmacies. This initiative is through the Department of Health and does not require payment through your NDIS plan.
As of January 24th, 2022, you can access free RATs if you hold an eligible Commonwealth concession card:
Give your local pharmacy a call before visiting to ensure they have supplies and are a participating pharmacy.
For more information visit the Department of Health website.
NDIS participants can use their NDIS funds to make this purchase if:
Note: You cannot claim more than $50 per week on eligible PPE purchases
PPE will be claimed from the core category of an NDIS plan within the Disability-Related Health Consumables- Low-Cost support line item: 03_040000919_0103_1_1
Generally, no this would be considered an everyday personal expense. In the circumstance that you receive close personal support and start to use a larger amount of hand sanitizer than you would in normal circumstances, you may be able to claim the costs of the additional hand sanitizer used.
We suggest reaching out to our team on 1300 402 568 to discuss your individual circumstances.
You may be able to purchase a tablet or laptop using your existing NDIS funds if:
Note: a standard tablet i.e an iPad should generally cost no more than $600
While the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the way you purchase Assistive Technology will remain flexible. You may use your Core- Consumable budget for low-cost AT purchases (up to $1500).
You must not spend more than $750 on electronic devices in order to continue receiving supports in a COVID safe manner.
For more on flexible low-cost AT for support continuity visit the NDIS website.
The information in this article was current on the day of publishing. We try our best to keep the information updated however, the NDIA make changes regularly so it’s best to check with our team or the NDIA if you have any questions.
If this isn’t your first NDIS plan you have probably come across those category names before. However, under each main category there are different support categories. To have supports/services/items funded through an NDIS plan they must fall within the outline of a support category. Below we break down what is covered in each of these categories. Visit the NDIS Price Guide for detailed descriptions on each of the support categories listed below.
The information below is only a small snapshot/example of some items that may or may not be funded within your NDIS plan. Each NDIS plan is different based on the persons individual circumstances, disability and goals. Because of this, if you are unsure if an item/support can be covered within your NDIS plan, we suggest contacting the NDIS on 1800 800 110, chatting with your Support Coordinator, LAC or ECEI, or your plan manager before purchasing the item/accessing the service.
Items with an asterisk (*) in the table below mean this is a quotable item/support, e.g. meal delivery*. Funding for these supports can only be claimed if it has been specifically included in the plan. More information/approval is required BEFORE you can purchase or access these supports. This is done on an individual basis, so reach out to the NDIS or your plan manager to chat about your situation. You may be asked to provide:
You may also like to check out another helpful BudgetNet article: “What does the NDIS pay for?” for more details around Reasonable & Necessary supports.
Core supports help participants with their everyday needs and is the most flexible funding within an NDIS plan. Generally, the budget can be used across all 4 support categories, however, there are a few restrictions- especially within the transport budget.
| Support Category | Description | What can it be used for? |
|
Assistance with Daily Life Portal: Daily Activities
|
Assistance with your everyday needs. | What might be funded:
Cleaner Garden Maintenance Meal delivery* Linen service* Respite- short term accommodation Cannot fund: Rent, household bills, medication. |
| Consumables
|
Everyday items you may need, this may include continence products or equipment to improve your independence and/or mobility. | What might be funded:
Continence items Low-cost assistive technology: e.g walking sticks, modified eating aids, hand rails, some low cost computer software/apps. Cannot fund: Weighted blankets, groceries. |
| Assistance with Social & Community Participation
Portal: Social, community and civic participation |
Supports you need to participate in social activities and to access your local community. | What might be funded:
Support Worker, Centre Based Programs (Day Programs). Cannot fund: Recreational pursuits- Movie tickets, museum entry, sporting tickets etc. (for both participant & support workers) |
| Transport | Paid to help you travel to work, school, or attend appointments that help you reach your plan goals. | How transport is paid will be different for each participant.
The NDIS website has more information about transport funding. |
Capacity Building Supports help participants build their skills and independence. The funding within each support category is not flexible and can only be used for approved items/supports that fall within that support category.
| Support Category | Description | What can it be used for? |
| Improved Life Choices
Portal: CB Choice and Control |
Fixed amount to access plan management services. | Plan Management
|
| Improved Daily Living
Portal: CB Daily Activity |
Assessment, training, or therapy to help increase your skills, independence, and community participation.
These services may be delivered in groups or individually. |
What might be funded:
Allied Health such as Speech therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy. Driving lessons* Tablet to access telehealth services* Nurse supports Art therapy (when conducted by an OT or qualified therapist) |
| Improved Learning
Portal: CB Lifelong Learning
|
Support to help you move from school to further education. | What might be funded: Training and/or advice to move from School to TAFE or University.
Support worker to assist you in preparing for further education. Cannot fund: School books, TAFE course fees, University fees. |
| Improved Health & Wellbeing
Portal: CB Health & Wellbeing |
Exercise or diet advice to manage the impact of your disability. | What might be funded:
Dietician, Personal Training, Exercise physiology. Cannot Fund: Gym Memberships, Massage. |
| Improved Relationships
Portal: CB Relationships
|
This support will help you develop positive behaviours and interact with others. | What might be funded:
Specialist behavioural intervention support including temporary use of restrictive practices, Behaviour Management Plans. Training for carers on how to implement behaviour management strategies. |
| Finding & Keeping a job
Portal: CB Employment |
This may include employment related support, training and assessments that help you find and keep a job. | What might be funded:
Supports for employment School leaver employment support (SLES) NOTE: funding for this category could also be claimed from core- social & community participation. Cannot fund: Work clothes |
| Increased Social & Community Participant
Portal: CB Social Community and Civic Participation |
Development and training to increase your skills so you can participate in community, social and recreational activity. | What might be funded:
Art classes, Sports coaching, classes that build skill or independence, camps/respite that include capacity building activities. Cannot fund: Sports uniform, unmodified sporting equipment. |
| Improved Living Arrangements
Portal: CB Home Living |
Support to help you find and maintain an appropriate place to live. | What might be funded:
Support worker to assist you with applying for rental properties, inspecting properties, negotiating contracts etc. Cannot fund: Rent, legal fees for rental disputes. |
| Support Coordination | Fixed amount for a Support Coordinator to help you use your plan. | Support Coordination |
Capital Supports are available to participants who require higher cost assistive technology, equipment and home or vehicle modifications. Funding can only be used to purchase these specific items and usually require an Occupational Therapist report and approval from the NDIA prior to purchase.
| Support Category | Description | What can it be used for? |
| Assistive Technology | This includes equipment items for mobility, personal care, communication, and recreational inclusion. Complex equipment over $1500, assessed and fitted by a professional.
Most of these items will be quoted or stated supports with funding available specifically for that item and outlined in the plan. |
What might be funded: Wheelchairs/scooters, vehicle modifications, mechanical hoists, prosthetic devices.
Cannot fund: items unrelated to goals/everyday items such as TV’s, mobile phones, internet bills. |
| Home Modifications | Home modifications such as installation of a large custom ramp, bathroom redesign or specialist disability accommodation. | What might be funded:
Builder’s plans, materials and labour can all be claimed from this category depending on the build requirements. |
We’ve tried to make this category breakdown as easy as possible and hope it has helped to understand where your services/items funding will be drawn from. Don’t forget, our team are experts with NDIS categories!
When you’re plan managed with BudgetNet you will receive a monthly statement which gives you the available funding you have in each of these support categories. It’s an easy way to keep track of how much you’ve spent and what you have remaining in your NDIS plan budget.
For more information about you NDIS funding you can contact:
If you’re interested in accessing BudgetNet Plan Management, reach out to the team on 1300 402 568 or learn more about our simple registration process.
ECEI is in place to ensure children with a disability or developmental delay are supported to access their community and reach their goals. The program is available for children between 0 – 6 years old and aims to provide assistance early on to minimise the number of complex supports they may require in the future.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJwoDL9ZQMM
The best way to contact an Early Childhood Partner is through the NDIS. Contact them directly on 1800 110 800 or visit the NDIS website.
You will need to provide written statements from your child’s teachers, family, treating doctor or specialist to highlight why they might benefit from accessing ECEI. The statement should outline your child’s diagnosis or developmental delay and how it impacts their life. The NDIA will confirm if your child is eligible to access the program.
Your Early Childhood Partner will work with you to understand the appropriate supports needed to allow your child to reach their goals. They will also assist you to access community health centers, educational settings, and playgroups.
Now that your child’s needs are understood an ECEI plan will be developed. At this point, you can request how you wish to manage your plan’s funding. Find out more about the ways to manage your plan. If you would like more information on how Plan Management works, feel free to reach out to our friendly team on 1300 402 568. You can also download our Request for Plan Management form, to bring along with you to your planning meeting.
Once your plan is completed you can begin accessing the services your child requires.
How can a Plan Manager like BudgetNet assist your child on their ECEI journey?
As parents/carers, it can be stressful to understand and implement your child’s ECEI plan. To make it less stressful, consider having your child’s NDIS plan, plan managed by BudgetNet.
Plan Management is when a company such as BudgetNet takes care of all your provider payments/invoices on your behalf.
If your child has a permanent disability and you would like them to continue to receive supports, you may wish to transition over to the NDIS. To do so, you will be required to provide a formal diagnosis. The NDIS will contact you before your child’s 7th birthday to ensure the transition is as easy as possible.
Name change- the Price Guide will now be known as the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits. It’s understood that the reason behind the change was to ensure participants understand that the pricing limits aren’t necessarily the set price and there may be room to negotiate rates in the future.
No price increase to house cleaning and garden maintenance as well as allied health services. Pricing for these services has remained consistent over the past two years.
Participant plans will not be indexed- this means participant funding will not increase in line with increased price limits. This may cause issues if providers are utilising a participant’s entire budget to deliver a service across the life of a plan and then the hourly rate is increased in line with the new price limits. This will cause the service booking to fall short. The NDIA are recommending any participants who may be at risk of this to complete a review of their plan. However, we understand there is a delay on the review process which can be stressful.
Our suggestion to avoid this issue would be to send us through your signed service agreements. This allows us to quarantine those funds specifically for your service, meaning the funds cannot be spent by any other providers.
For more information regarding the latest NDIS updates surrounding the price guide visit the NDIS website. The next pricing update is expected in July 2022. Our team are happy to answer any questions you may have surrounding the latest price guide update, feel free to reach out on 1300 402 568.
Provider travel- Providers may wish to claim for travel to a participant appointment. This can be done in two parts. Either, time-based (charging for the time it takes to get to the appointment) or non-time-based (charging for kilometres traveled, parking fees, or tolls).
Participant travel- Providers may be able to claim for transporting a participant to an appointment, service, as part of their support. This can be charged on a time-based case where providers charge for the time taken to get to the destination, or non-time-based where providers would charge per kilometre traveled based on the prices below.
Travel is generally charged at 85 cents per kilometre for a non-modified vehicle or $2.40 for a modified vehicle. However, this is not a hard cap and can be negotiated between a provider and their participant.
ABN- the NDIA has changed the claiming process and we must now include an ABN to process the payment. Please ensure your ABN is included on every invoice.
Include a breakdown of quantities and rates (as per the NDIS price limits). Most pricing limits are broken down to an hourly rate. It is important to include the hours of service delivered as well as the hourly rate. If you can break it down to specific service dates that will also alleviate any plan date issues that could arise.
Include an item code as per the price guide or a description that closely matches. This allows us to ensure we assign the service/product delivered to the correct area of the participant’s plan. This can also help the NDIA understand the services and supports the participant has engaged with as well as help shape their future plans.
Unique invoice numbers- our system filters duplicate invoices so you must use unique invoice numbers. Some providers have an invoice process that includes starting at invoice 1 for each participant. In this instance, we suggest including a client code such as their initials.
PDF attachment- When emailing an invoice through to us, we ask that you include it as a PDF. This format is ideal as it’s a locked document that can’t be edited and there are no issues with formatting for clients during the approval process.
Invoices can be sent to us via email at ndis@budgetnet.com.au via MMS 0428 583 575 or by mail at PO Box 28, Melton VIC, 3337.
Need extra invoicing tips and tricks? Find out about our Top 10 Tips for Fast Payments
We also have some useful resources for providers such as our Invoice Generator and Invoice Checklist. Our aim is to pay invoices within 3 to 5 business days, however, if a problem occurs this could be increased.
Our team is always here to assist providers in navigating NDIS payments. Reach out to us on 1300 402 568 or email ndis@budgetnet.com.au. Alternatively, if you have a participant that may benefit from accessing our Plan Management services you can complete our Referral form.
We have created this summary which explains some of the most common invoice problem we come across. We try to make the process as easy as possible, please use the below tips to help reduce any billing issues.
As always the BudgetNet team is available to answer any questions. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us on 1300 402 568
If a service is provided to a participant but they do not have enough money in their NDIS plan to cover the cost, then the participant will need to pay for the service out of their own pocket.
To ensure this does not happen:
Providers need to create an invoice once they have delivered a service. We have created an easy Invoice Checklist that outlines exactly what needs to be included in the invoice to ensure it is processed without issue.
Simple errors such as not including your ABN, service dates, or an incorrect NDIS line item could cause payment delays.
To ensure this does not happen:
If a participants NDIS plan ends midway through a provider’s invoicing period and the invoice is not broken down into individual service dates, our accounts team may get in touch to request further action.
To ensure this does not happen:
Providers can only claim up to the amount listed in the NDIS price guide through a participant’s NDIS plan. If the hourly rate (agreed upon by the participant) is higher than the NDIS price cap, the participant will be personally responsible for paying the additional amount.
To ensure this does not happen:
NDIS participants have choice and control over the providers they wish to work with. This means a participant can decide to change their plan management provider and start using BudgetNet’s services at any time within their plan. The previous plan manager will need to release funds, allowing BudgetNet to take over. Until this occurs, we cannot process any invoices.
To ensure this does not happen:
Our goal is to minimise any payment problems and to continue to process your invoices as quickly as possible. The BudgetNet team is here to support you and ensure any issues are resolved as quickly as possible to avoid payment delays. Contact us at 1300 402 568 or ndis@budgetnet.com.au.