There has been a new Price Guide released by the NDIA on July 1st. We wanted to run through key changes you will come across as a provider as well as a few tips that may be helpful when processing payments.
Watch the video below for an update from our Managing Director- Michael Coyne:
Updates to the NDIS Price Guide:
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 Payment Tips:
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.
Here is the best way to avoid any payment problems
- Confirm that the participant has enough funding to cover your service. The best way to do this is to send us a signed service agreement and we will set aside the funding you require. This will also safeguard those funds from being used by other providers.
- Ensure you have the correct hourly rate and item code as per the NDIS guidelines.
- Confirm that your invoice is correct by taking a look at our Invoice Checklist.
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.