The NDIA is making some changes to the plan review process in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
If a participant has a scheduled plan review, the NDIA will contact them by phone or email to undertake their review.
As part of this plan review process, a participant can discuss having a new plan in place for up to 24 months.
In addition, the NDIA will be making changes to NDIS systems over the weekend to make sure participants have the funding they need during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To ensure participant plans don’t end, on the plan's end date, it will be automatically be extended by 365 days.
Previously these automatic plan extensions were for 28 days but will now will be 365.
Participants who have plans that end soon, do not need to do anything to have their plans automatically extended by 365 days.
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:
- An advance payment to registered providers
- A temporary 10 per cent increase to the price limit of some Core and Capacity Building supports
- Changes to the cancellation rules
- 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 [email protected], 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:
- Assistance with Daily Life (excluding Supported Independent Living)
- Assistance with Social and Community Participation
- Improved Health and Wellbeing (excluding personal training)
- 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:
- 01_790_0106_8_3 - Level 1: Support Connection
- 01_791_0106_8_3 - Level 2: Coordination Of Supports
- 01_794_0132_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.