MedPrac Australia Plan Manager

NDIS Plan Management

The evolution of Plan Management within the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) reflects a concerted effort initiated with the establishment of the scheme in 2013. A collaborative endeavor involving individuals with disabilities, community organizations, advocates, and governmental bodies culminated in the realization of comprehensive disability reform. The journey from trials to nationwide implementation, completed by 2020, epitomizes a collective commitment to ensuring equitable access to essential services and support for over 5 million Australians with disabilities.

At the core of the NDIS lies the provision of funding aimed at facilitating individuals’ access to requisite services, thereby enabling them to realize their fullest potential across the lifespan. Plan Management, as a fundamental component of disability service provision under the NDIS, has witnessed a notable paradigm shift in recent years, with an increasing number of participants opting for Plan Management services. Presently, Plan Management accounts for 56% of total funding allocation within the sector.

Types of Supported Services

The NDIS extends funding to cover an array of essential services tailored to participants’ diverse needs, including but not limited to:

Daily Personal Activities

Community Participation Transport

Workplace Support

Household Assistance

Therapeutic Interventions

Assistive Technology Provision

Home Modifications

Mobility Equipment

Vehicle Adaptations

Types of Plan Management

The NDIS advocates for participant autonomy in selecting their preferred management approach, offering three distinct options:

Agency Managed

This option entails participants entrusting the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) with the management of their allocated funds. The NDIA directly disburses payments to registered service providers on behalf of participants, with alternative arrangements to be explored in cases involving unregistered providers.

Self-Managed

Participants or their nominated representatives undertake the responsibility of managing their NDIS funding autonomously. This approach affords individuals the flexibility to determine the services aligning with their plan goals, with reimbursements facilitated directly by the NDIS.

Plan-Managed

Plan Management involves participants engaging a designated plan management provider to oversee the administration of their NDIS funds. Plan managers facilitate payments to service providers, whether registered or unregistered, on behalf of participants, ensuring adherence to NDIS guidelines and regulations.

Plan managers assume a pivotal role in offering financial administration support and fostering participants’ financial management capabilities. Additionally, they serve as guides, aiding participants in navigating NDIS stipulations and requirements.

NDIS Pricing and Price Limits

The NDIS implements pricing arrangements encompassing price limits for various support items, with distinctions between price-controlled and quotable supports. While most support items adhere to a single national price limit, adjustments may apply for remote and very remote areas, ensuring equitable access to services across geographic regions.

Support Budgets

Participants’ NDIS plans incorporate three distinct support budgets:

Capacity Building
Budget

Allocated across eight support sub-categories, the Capacity Building funding targets specific plan goals, encompassing areas such as Choice and Control, Employment, Health and Wellbeing, Home Living, Lifelong Learning, Relationships, and Social and Community Participation.

Core
Budget

This option entails participants entrusting the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) with the management of their allocated funds. The NDIA directly disburses payments to registered service providers on behalf of participants, with alternative arrangements to be explored in cases involving unregistered providers.

Capital Support
Budget

This budget category caters to significant investments in assistive technology and home modifications, necessitating quotes from suppliers to determine the appropriate allocation of funds.

Acknowledgement of country

MedPrac Australia Plan Manager Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country throughout Australia and acknowledges their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to the people, the cultures, and the Elders past, present and emerging.