The NDIS is making some changes to their Price Guide. They do this every year.
What does this mean?
Some of the services you receive will have different prices and different codes.
When will this change start?
Price changes will start from Friday 1st July, 2022.
What are the changes?
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 rate increases for supports provided by Disability Support Workers
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:
- Assistance with self-care activities and establishment fees
- Assistance to access the community, social and recreational activities, including group supports and establishment fees
- Employment support
- Psychosocial Recovery Coaching
- Assistance in SIL
- Self and plan management capacity building
- Tenancy Support
- Life transition planning
- Individual skills development
- Transition from school to further education
- Training for carers/parents
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.
Therapy and Allied Health
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.
Cancellation charges
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 (Paying for Services in Advance)
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.
Provider charging for travel
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.
Group based activities
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.
Assistive Technology
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
Helpful links:
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.