Price guides and pricing

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NDIS Price Guide 2020-21 - effective 1 July 2020

Following the completion of the Annual Price Review to determine NDIS pricing arrangements for the 2020‒21 financial year, the NDIA has published the NDIS Price Guide and Support Catalogue 2020‒21. 

The Price Guide and Support Catalogue 2020‒21 have been updated to reflect the indexed prices as a result of the Fair Work Commission Annual Wage Review 2019‒20. The latest Price Guide was published on 29 June 2020 and comes into effect 1 July 2020.

Participant plan funds will be automatically indexed from 1 July 2020 to take into account the decision of the Fair Work Commission and movement in the Consumer Price Index. This requires a systems update which is expected to occur on 11 July. Indexation will still apply from 1 July.

The Price Guide and Support Catalogue 2020‒21 published 29 June 2020 also reflect the end of some of the temporary arrangements introduced in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 

Other clarifications include:

  • Group-based supports

In response to feedback, providers have until 30 June 2021 to transition to the new pricing arrangements for group-based supports.

From 1 July 2020, providers will have the opportunity to use either the new streamlined pricing arrangements for group-based supports or continue to use the 2019‒20 arrangements.

The new arrangements introduced for 2020‒21 remove the worker to participant ratio and instead allow providers to claim against the appropriate 1:1 support line item. This means providers can accurately apportion time spent with a group and among members of that group. Providers can also claim for non-face-to-face supports rather than having an allowance for non-face-to-face supports built into the price limit.

The current 2019‒20 arrangements will be retained in the NDIS Price Guide 2020‒21 until 30 June 2021 and allow for the support items covering the range of ratios to allow for one support worker to different numbers of participants and have allowances built into the price limits for non-face-to-face supports.

  • Evening support times and shift boundaries

The Price Guide 2020‒21 clarifies evening support times as any support to an individual participant that starts after 8.00pm and finishes at or before midnight on a single weekday, unless that support is a public holiday support or a night-time sleepover support.

The Price Guide also clarifies arrangements when a support crosses a shift boundary and the same worker delivers the entire support. The higher of the relevant price limits applies to the entire support and providers can claim against the relevant support item. 

  • Establishment fees

From 1 July 2020, the changes to establishment fee rules mean that a provider can only claim an establishment fee once per participant across all plans.

  • Line item updates

The Price Guide and Support Catalogue 2020‒21 have been amended to include the following support items:

  • Self-Management Capacity Building (01_134_0117_8_1) 
  • Skills Development and Training (09_009_0117_6_3)
  • Innovative Community Participation (09_008_0116_6_3).

The new look Price Guide aims to be clear and transparent about pricing arrangements and make it easier to find information for specific supports by including applicable line items and claiming rules within the one document.

In addition to the Price Guide updates outlined as part of the Annual Price Review, the Price Guide 2020‒21 also incorporates pricing details to support other significant initiatives from 1 July including:

  • Psychosocial recovery coaches—to offer added support to participants with a psychosocial disability.
    • Six new line items introduced to support participants to achieve outcomes.
    • For more information visit the mental health page
  • Individualised Living Options—two new line items, to give people with disability access to alternative living arrangements within the Assistance with Daily Living Support Category:
    • Individualised Living Option – Exploration and Design
    • Individualised Living Option – Support Model
      • More information will be provided in July including the funding bands that will used when making this determination.
      • Providers interested in further information about ILO can email the NDIA ILO Project Team at ILO@ndis.gov.au.
  • Supported Independent Living (SIL)—set price limits for SIL supports will replace the current quoting and negotiation process.
    • The NDIA is conducting a review of SIL price controls and endorsed recommendations will be included in a Price Guide released later in 2020. Until this review is complete the price limits for assistance with daily living will apply to SIL supports.
    • Existing plans containing agreed SIL quotes will continue until the end of their 12 month term, at which point the new SIL price limit will apply.
    • A new Provider SIL Pack was published 30 June 2020.
  • Supports in Employment—to support increased employment opportunities for participants:
    • Five new line items introduced so eligible providers can claim for different times of day and days of week to deliver supports in employment.
    • Two new line items introduced to allow eligible providers to transport one or more participants to / from a community-based support and claim non-labour costs associated with provider travel
    • Amending the unit of measurement for ‘Employment related assessment and counselling’ support item from ‘each’ to ‘per hour’
    • Introducing new establishment fee rules for Supports in Employment
    • For more information visit the Supports in Employment page.

Pricing updates in response to coronavirus (COVID-19)

To help providers to continue to deliver supports to participants through this time, the NDIA introduced a number of temporary changes, including:

Low cost assistive technology (AT)

To assist participant access to supports and interpreting services which are now being delivered online, a temporary support item has been introduced so that participants can use capacity building funds to claim for low cost AT items to receive their funded supports and services.

This includes items such as fitness equipment and smart devices.

The cost of a smart device should not exceed $750.

A number of requirements need to be met before participants can use NDIS funds to buy low cost AT items including that purchases are in consultation with existing support providers—refer to the Price Guide for details.

This applies from 30 April 2020 until 30 September 2020.

Hospital discharge

From 30 April 2020, two temporary support items were added to support participants leaving hospital to continue to access the assistive technology (AT) they need to be safely go home from hospital. They can cover the AT rental for up to six months until their short, medium and long term AT and home modification needs can be assessed and an amended plan is in place.

This applies until 30 September 2020.

Supported independent living (SIL)

From 30 April 2020, two support items were temporarily introduced to manage the care and support of participants in supported independent living (SIL) who are diagnosed with coronavirus (COVID-19):

  • Cleaning services—$300 for a one-off professional deep cleaning of a residence of a participant newly diagnosed with coronavirus (COVID-19).
  • Additional supports—$1,200 can be claimed each day in addition to the usual SIL claim, to ensure participants get the support they need. This can be claimed from the date that the infection is confirmed until the participant is no longer infectious.

This applies until 30 September 2020.

Temporary increase in price limits

From 25 March 2020 to 30 June 2020, a 10 per cent temporary increase was applied to the price limits of 402 price controlled items in selected support categories.

These items were identified in the NDIS Support Catalogue 2019-20 with “Includes COVID Loading” in the description of the item.

Cancellations

From 25 March 2020 to 30 June 2020, the notice period for a short notice cancellation was temporarily increased.

Please refer to the Cancellations policy in the Price Guide 2019-20 for more information.

New line items for Support Coordination

From 25 March 2020, the support items for Support Coordination were temporarily duplicated into the Core Support Category – Assistance with Daily Life – so that participants can have greater access to support coordination services if they need them.

For more information, refer to the Price Guide and Support Catalogue and the coronavirus (COVID-19) FAQs for participants and providers.

    How pricing works

    The NDIA sets price limits for some supports to ensure they provide value for money for participants.

    Changes to prices are updated to respond to market trends and changes in costs and are generally identified through an Annual Price Review, with any new prices outlined in an updated price guide, effective 1 July each year. 

    The Pricing Reference Group helps guide NDIS price regulation activities and decisions.

    Refer to the Annual price review page for the latest updates. 

    Providers can also read the NDIA's Market position statements and recently released quarterly data on the performance of the NDIS.

    Understanding the Price Guide - for participants

    Understanding the Price Guide explains the key changes in the Price Guide and Support Catalogue and how they might affect participants, their families and carers.

    It’s important for participants to understand all of the prices they might be charged, so they can be confident of receiving value for money from their plan budget.

    Other information

    Please direct queries to your local NDIA Provider Engagement team or email the NDIA.

    This page current as of
    2 July 2020