As a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participant, your plan funds are precious, and you want to make the most of every single dollar.
And – as Australia’s leading (and largest!) NDIS plan manager – we know the hacks to help you do just that. After all, we see hundreds of NDIS plans and invoices every day!
In this article, we give you some tips and tricks to remove unwanted costs – meaning you can maximise your plan funding and live your best life. Have a chat to your support coordinator or local area coordinator to see if they can help you to put some or all of these ideas into practice to help you:
Has a provider ever charged you for travel? Providers can charge a participant’s NDIS budget for the cost of travel when they:
If a provider who comes to you – like a mobile physiotherapist – charges the maximum hourly rate under the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits, adding travel to that cost can quickly add up. That’s why it’s good to consider local providers if you can – and try negotiating a reduction (or elimination) of travel charges.
If there’s provider travel involved, then less frequent sessions that run longer in time can help to reduce unwanted travel costs.
For example, you could ask a provider to deliver 8 x 90 minute sessions instead of 12 x 60 minute sessions. Both options equal 12 hours of support, but the first removes four sets of travel expenses.
Be aware there are different provider rates in the NDIS for weekdays, weekends and public holidays. That means it’s cheaper to see a provider during the week, rather than on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday.
Make sure your providers build a schedule of supports that meet your needs, rather than sending through a service agreement that utilises all your available funding.
If a provider asks to see your NDIS plan budget before sending you a service agreement – or if their service agreement equals the total value of a particular budget category – it’s worth digging a little deeper to understand what they’re recommending, and why.
Don’t forget, if you aren’t happy with a provider you’re using, you have every right to change.
Certain services, like rehabilitation and support after a recent medical or surgical event, sit under Medicare – Australia’s universal health care system.
Be sure to first check the support you need isn’t covered there or under a different mainstream service, which might save your NDIS funding.
We occasionally hear of providers charging more when they know a client is a participant in the NDIS. This could be because they see their client’s funding as ‘government money’ to stake a claim to, or they may think NDIS participants are less likely to shop around or negotiate a lower rate.
This practice is sometimes referred to as applying an ‘NDIS tax’ – and the good news is, you can avoid it. How? Negotiate and lock in a provider’s rates up front before telling them you’re an NDIS participant.
Allied health assistants can provide supports under the guidance of an allied health professional at a lower cost and are often students accruing experience in their final year of study. Because of this, they often have the latest knowledge and training in their field.
If you see an allied health professional, you may want to ask if an allied health assistant can provide some or all of your supports at a lower rate to help your funds stretch further.
If you have support workers to help you with daily living activities, be sure to know the range of services they can provide – like supporting you to maintain your garden, clean your home, do your washing, and prepare your meals.
This may mean you won’t have to spend your NDIS plan funding to pay a cleaner, a gardener or a meal delivery service.
Group sessions can provide a great way to get out and about in the community with like-minded peers – and you can often participate in a group where there’s a lower ratio of support (i.e. more participants per support worker).
By joining in a group activity with two other participants (1:3) instead of alone with a support worker (1:1), you can get supports at a third of the cost.
Have an open dialogue with providers about what supports you may be able to utilise in a group setting to help cut costs and still get the full value from activities.
If you’re reading this, you want maximum value from your NDIS budget. The problem is, a lot of providers charge the maximum price in the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits, leaving little space for competitive pricing. This is where Coordinated Funding Proposals (CFPs) can help.
CFPs let you form a group of people with the same or similar support needs and combine funding to:
For more information about CFPs, click here.
An allied health practitioner, like an occupational therapist, may recommend assistive technology to maintain your independence and decrease reliance on external supports.
From combi-reachers to walking frames, dressing sticks to portable clothes lines, there’s a seemingly endless range of assistive technology tools designed to support people with disability get the most out of life.
We’re here to help
At My Plan Manager, we see hundreds of NDIS plans and invoices every day and know how to cut unwanted costs.
If you have any questions about using your NDIS plan funding, email us at [email protected] or call us on 1800 861 272 from 8am-6pm (SA time), Monday to Friday.
