If you use the My Plan Manager Client Portal, you would have noticed the new passwordless login feature, which will probably be a different to what you’re used to. We’ve been listening to your feedback and questions about the new login system and are making some small changes to make it smoother for you, however we also want to take the time to explain why we have decided to use passwordless login and why we think it’s better for our clients.
How many internet sites do you have a login for? Chances are there’s a few: Facebook or other social media accounts, email accounts, bank accounts, online shopping accounts and a range of others.
Surveys estimate that most people have from 92 user accounts, up to 130 accounts. Remembering passwords for that many websites is really hard! Most people simply can’t do it, and even if they could it would take a huge effort.
This creates a big opportunity for hackers: reports estimate that up to 80% of hacking related data breaches are related to weak or compromised passwords.
If all of this information about passwords has made you feel a bit anxious – don’t worry. We and many other organisations are on the case. In fact, Microsoft, Apple, Google, Mozilla and many others have been working hard on this problem, and the industry has agreed that passwordless login technologies are the future. In fact, some organisations predict that passwordless will be the most common way to login within the next 8 years.
We will eventually remove traditional password login from the client portal. We are doing this in stages – the first stage (which we are in now) is to introduce our passwordless login and make sure our clients aren’t having trouble with it. For now, you can still use the old username and password login as a backup.
When you pay a provider upfront for a service you want to be reimbursed for the costs as quickly as possible, so you aren’t left out of pocket. There are some things you can do so your reimbursement goes to the right place straight away and we can get the money back to you quickly.
The most important thing is your email subject line. When emailing a reimbursement to us, the email subject line for reimbursements you should include one of these words or phrases:
Including one of these clear instructions in the subject line of your reimbursement email will make sure you get your money back as soon as possible. Our payment system recognises these and sends your email to the right place.
Send your reimbursement requests to our accounts inbox – [email protected] – the same place you send your regular invoices for payment.
This way it will go straight to the right team for processing asap.
You can also submit reimbursements through our online client portal. Simply select ‘Submit Claim’ and then click on Pay To > Myself for reimbursements.
There are three types of supports budgets that may appear in your NDIS plan: core, capacity building and capital. Your NDIS planner will tailor your NDIS plan with funding connected to achieving your goals and supporting you in your day-to-day life.
The core supports budget is funding to support the everyday tasks that relate to your plan and life goals. It’s quite flexible across the four support categories that make up the core supports budget, and it is up to you how you spend it. You can choose to spend your funding interchangeably between the support categories to better suit your needs. For example, you may prefer to spend more of your total core funding on meal preparation and less on taxi expenses. Your support coordinator and plan manager are experts in all things NDIS and can help you to understand how to use your NDIS plan flexibility to get the best outcome!
Name on NDIS portal – “Daily Activities”.
This category will cover all your expenses related to assisting you to undertake daily tasks. This could include:
Funding to cover transport expenses related to the impact of your disability, such as:
Funding to pay for everyday items and low risk/low-cost products, like:
Name on NDIS portal – “Social, community and civic participation”. Covers cost to access and participate in the community, such as:
There are lots of ways to use your core supports budget so you’re getting the best value for your funding.
As the core supports budget is flexible you can make it work for you and choose the services that best suit your life. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box! Is there a low-cost assistive technology such as an app that could help you to achieve smaller tasks in your day-to-day life? Could you have hand rails installed in the bathroom or around the house to improve your independence?
The majority of our clients have most of their NDIS funding allocated to the core supports budget, so making the most of this is important. Researching providers and finding a provider with competitive pricing can make a big different to your budget. One of the benefits of being plan managed is that you can use any provider, whether they are an NDIS-registered provider or not. Providers who aren’t NDIS-registered generally charge below the NDIS price guide. But it’s important to do your research, ask questions and trial a provider to find one who best suits your needs.
The core supports budget funds your essential everyday tasks and it also needs to last the whole way through your plan. This is where budgeting is important, as you don’t want your core budget to run out before your plan ends. Do the sums on your everyday expenses and work how much it will cost (roughly) to fund for the duration of your plan. If you’re a client of My Plan Manager, we can help you with budgeting, and our online client portal helps you view and track your funding so you can see what you’ve spent and how much you have left. If you’re not a client yet, find out how we could help you manage your plan.
To find out more about the other types of funding (capital supports and capacity building supports) or other NDIS lingo check out NDIS Category Confusion or NDIS Dictionary: Breaking down the jargon.
If you have any queries about how to use your funding please contact us via phone or email and we will be more than happy to assist.
You may have never thought deeply about what your goals are, let alone sharing them with a complete stranger. But the NDIS requires you to set yourself goals and discuss them with your LAC or NDIS planner. Your NDIS plan funding will link to the purchase of services or items that will help you achieve your goals.
If you can think ahead about the best goals and budget support categories for your NDIS plan, you’ll be able to access the products or services that will help you to make the most of your plan and live your best life.
Devon is 55 years old and wants to access personal training classes through her NDIS plan. Her NDIS goal is to improve her health and wellbeing and build her knowledge of diet and exercise advice.
Oliver is 18 years old and has just finished attending high school. He wants to learn to cook. His NDIS goal is to improve (or develop skills to build) his knowledge of healthy and nutritious cooking including identifying ingredients, managing a budget and preparing food/cooking in a safe and effective manner. This allows him to use his NDIS funding on cooking classes that will help him to achieve this goal.
Ben is 15 years old and really wants to learn to swim. His NDIS goal is to increase his water awareness and water safety, as well as improving his core strength and social participation. Swimming lessons will help Ben to achieve this goal.
Sophie is 35 years old, a mum of two children and wants to build her skills to be able to manage her own NDIS plan. Her NDIS goal is that she would like support to understand, implement and maximise her NDIS plan, including building skills to make connections in her local community and increase her confidence and capacity to connect with new providers.
Please be advised that it will depend on your personal circumstances as to whether the NDIS will consider a support to be “reasonable and necessary” and these examples should be used to assist you to create your own goals to access the services that will give you more choice and control over your life.
You have your National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan set up and ticking along, so now what? Your plan is there to meet your needs and empower you to live a better life. That’s why it’s important to check in on your plan and make sure it’s working for you. My Plan Manager is here to help you make the most out of your plan so you can focus on your goals and what you want to achieve in life.
Your plan is designed to enable you to reach your goals and live your best life, so it’s important to check in on your plan around the halfway mark to ensure it’s on track. Spending too much early on is a problem just as not spending enough, so roughly halfway through your plan you should be around halfway through your total budget. If your plan is set up for a year, check in on it at the six-month mark or at the year mark if it’s a two-year plan. My Plan Manager can help you with budget management to keep you on track with your spending while making sure you’re getting as much value as possible from your plan.
There are ways to be a bit more creative with your spending and make your money go further. At My Plan Manager, we’ve been around the longest and know the NDIS inside out, so we are the experts in the many, varied ways you can use your funding! The NDIS price guides are the maximum amount you can be charged for a specific support, product or service. You can find a similar service that will charge under the price guide amount leaving you with extra money in your budget. An additional benefit of being a client with My Plan Manager is you can access any provider regardless of whether they are an NDIS-registered provider or not. We have some good resources on how to find NDIS service providers and you can always check with us or the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) if you’re unsure. There’s no obligation to disclose you’re an NDIS participant either and sometimes services might be cheaper by paying upfront out of pocket and being reimbursed. Always make sure you compare before you commit to any providers.
Technology is designed to make our lives easier so make use of the tools available. My Plan Manager offers an online client portal and also a convenient mobile phone app to help you keep track of your spending. Through these tools you will be able to view your total budget spend, see how much you have spent and view past invoices so you can plan for future spending. It’s a good idea when reviewing your budget to keep a small percentage aside as an ‘emergency’ fund if you need it. My Plan Manager has a free budget calculator for all NDIS participants to use so you don’t overspend. We can also help you work out your spending and check in with you at key milestones to make sure your plan is on track.
How are you currently managing your funding? Is your current process working for you or could you benefit from some expert knowledge? If you are currently self-managed or agency management and would like to move to plan management, it is simply a matter of letting NDIS staff know you’d like a plan manager to support you (you can call the NDIS on 1800 800 110) and they’ll take it from there. We have a helpful step-by-step guide on how to get plan management included in your NDIS plan. If you are with another plan manager and would like to try My Plan Manager, that’s not a problem either. Our helpful guide takes you through a few simple steps to transfer from another plan manager over to My Plan Manager.
Sometimes the unexpected might happen and your budget may not last until the end of your plan. That’s why it’s important to keep an eye on your spending and discuss this with your plan manager as soon as you’re aware so they can help you through the process. If you aren’t with a plan manager, contact the NDIA or your LAC to let them know your circumstances have changed. The NDIS has a helpful guide on what to do if your plan is no longer meeting your needs. If you have the opposite problem and have money left at the end of your plan, we have some helpful tips on what to do.
The important thing to remember is your plan is designed to sustain consistent ongoing support but also enable you to achieve your goals. The benefit of having a plan manager is that time consuming things like admin and bills are taken care of so you can focus on the bigger picture of living your best life. Best of all, it’s free for you to use. Contact us via phone or email to chat more about the benefits of plan management today.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) can be really confusing, especially for people who haven't had an NDIS plan yet. Once you break through the NDIS jargon and technical terms you will start to understand your plan, how to use your allocated budget and can unlock the potential of your plan to achieve your goals. Of course, your plan manager can also help you with this.
More about How does NDIS funding work?
By Tina Kraja
This article is part of My Plan Manager's guest blogger series.
I want to share how to budget. I hear stories from families who do not know how to share out their funding, saying things like, ‘we used it all in 3 months, there is nothing left’. This needs to change! Many people just do not understand how to budget the funds in their plans. Here are my tips for parents to plan ahead and get the most out of their child’s National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan.
I religiously budget down to that last dollar. I divide and conquer, quite literally. I take the full amount in my plan and I divide it by the hourly rate, so I know how many hours I have for a year. I then divide this by therapists, taking into account which therapist we will use fortnightly and who will be more beneficial to use weekly. This way I know exactly how many appointments to book for each therapist, so I get the most out of my plan without overspending.
I search for good therapists who are flexible to stretch my hours, for instance my physio and occupational therapist (OT) for my six-year-old both do 45 minute appointments, which saves us 30 minutes a week compared to having 1-hour appointments. This means we then get an extra hour a month to use on a weekend group session. Look out for those added extras, like travel charges. These can certainly eat into your funding, so have a look for providers that don’t charge for travel, or go to the office for appointments, as long as it won’t be too tiring for your child or too disruptive to their routine.
I study the school terms and see where our appointments fall. If we do weekly appointments, I might cancel week 10 as most kids finish early and have a fun day that Friday so OT is pointless this day. For speech therapy, my daughter will be so overwhelmed at the beginning of term 1 that weekly will be too much, but in term 2 and 3 she will be more settled, so more therapy is ok.
There are some other things you can consider to make every dollar go further. Some therapists hold appointments at the school and do not charge travel.
Weekend group sessions are cheaper with our Occupational Therapist, so they are a good option for both the budget and for extra social skills outside of school. We pay for an hour with both the OT and Physiotherapist.
Therapy tools can be purchased cheaply from retail giants like Kmart – just do some online research.
Visit the Special Education Resource Unit (SERU) and toy libraries for therapy tools also.
If you are finding that you’re still struggling to make your funds last you can ask your GP about a Medicare chronic disease management plan or mental health care plan. These can help cover part of the cost of therapy appointments – but they are separate to the NDIS, which means you may need to pay a gap yourself. You can find out more about chronic disease management plans or mental health care plans on the Department of Health website.
My Plan Manager also has some advice about keeping your plan in good health and what to do if you’re overspending.
Don’t let that money fester because you are on a waiting list, get on lots of lists, ask on social platforms. Use My Plan Manager to help you see the most used therapists and ensure you have continuity of therapy. We asked our school which organisations regularly visit, as we knew they were likely trusted in the industry.
Don’t be scared - be smart!
Tina is a mum of two girls: Miss 6, who is on the Autism Spectrum level 2 and also has Sensory Processing Disorder, severe phonological speech delay and severe anxiety, and Miss 8, who has severe anxiety and has recently been referred for an assessment. Tina loves numbers and is passionate about helping other families to get the most out of their NDIS plans. She is studying to be an individual disability support worker and is awaiting the world to return to normal so she can do some work experience and get her certificate 3. Tina has been a client of My Plan Manager for two years.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is described as insurance for the nation – insurance that’s helping to build inclusive communities for Australia’s 25 million residents and fund support for more than 500,000 Scheme participants.
A program of the size and scope of the NDIS requires a lot of different people to implement it, and it can be tricky to understand what they all do.
This article outlines five key roles in the NDIS and what they do to support you at different stages in your journey – from when you first discover the Scheme to when you have a plan reassessment.
A planner is a person who works for the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) and is a delegated decision maker. They determine what funding you’ll receive in a plan.
| Awareness | After you’ve gained access to the NDIS, you’ll be linked with an NDIA planner or Local Area Coordinator (LAC) to develop a plan in relation to your goals. |
| Planning | If you’re initially linked with a LAC, after they’ve met with you at a planning meeting, gathered your information and submitted it to the NDIA, the LAC and the NDIA planner will collaborate by discussing the information gathered and reviewing any progress reports, quotes, and recommendations provided to determine plan funding. The NDIA planner will also approve your plan. A planner can play the role of a LAC as well. For example, many clients with more complicated supports deal directly with a planner instead of a LAC. |
| Using a plan | NDIA planners can help you to understand and implement your plan if you don’t have a LAC. |
| Plan reassessment | NDIA planners conduct participant check-ins, run plan reassessment meetings, and approve plans. |
If you decide you don’t need a LAC to apply for access to the NDIS, once you’ve met access requirements, the NDIA will either allocate you to a LAC who will send you an invitation to a planning meeting, or you may be allocated directly to an NDIA planner. If you’re allocated to a LAC, you can’t opt out to work with an NDIA planner instead.
Local Area Coordinators (LACs) are people with a deep understanding and knowledge of disability and its impact on individuals, families, and carers.
| Pre-access to the NDIS | LACs hold a range of discussions to help you understand and access the NDIS. They talk to people who haven’t heard of the Scheme, who want to know more, or who want help applying. If you’re thinking about applying for access to the NDIS and are aged seven to 64 years, the first step you can take is to contact a LAC. This is completely up to you. If you’re not eligible for the NDIS or don’t want to apply, a LAC can link you to services in the community (like community centres and volunteer transport services) to help you participate in day-to-day life. |
| Planning | Once you have access to the NDIS, your LAC will contact you to conduct a planning meeting where they will gather information to start creating a plan. They’ll send the plan they draft to an NDIA planner for consideration, and the planner will either approve it or recommend changes. LACs cannot approve NDIS plans, but they can put forward recommendations in a draft. They can also connect you mainstream services to help you participate in day-to-day life. |
| Using a plan | If a plan is approved and you don’t agree with what’s in it, or it doesn’t meet your needs, your LAC can help you to identify your review rights and next steps. A LAC can also help you to understand and implement your plan. |
| Plan reassessment | A LAC will conduct a plan reassessment meeting where you and they will reflect on what’s working well for you, what you’d like to change, and how you can use your NDIS plan to achieve your plan goals. They can help you prepare for a plan reassessment. If you don’t know what your goals are before your plan reassessment, you can develop new goals with your LAC in the meeting. |
Click here to find the closest LAC office to you. There is zero out-of-pocket cost to access their services.
Early Childhood Partners (ECPs) deliver the early childhood approach and are funded by the NDIA. The NDIA’s ECPs have teams of professionals with experience and clinical expertise in working with young children with developmental delay or disability, as well as their families and carers.
| Awareness | ECPs can connect a child, their family and carers to local mainstream and community services like playgroups, childcare providers, parent support groups, education options and recreation. They may also provide practical information about a child’s development. ECPs use observations and information from assessments or reports to understand the impact of a child’s delay or disability – but they don’t complete assessments for diagnosis. They can identify if a child is likely to benefit from early support and, where appropriate, provide a short period of early supports to help a child and their family work towards goals. ECPs can also assist a child’s parent or carer to apply to access the NDIS on the child’s behalf. They can help put together information and evidence to help work out if a child is eligible to access the Scheme. |
| Planning | Once a child and their family have access to the NDIS, the ECP will contact them to conduct a planning meeting where they will gather information to start creating a plan. They’ll send the plan they draft to an NDIA planner for consideration, and the planner will either approve it or recommend changes. |
| Using a plan | If a plan is approved and a child’s family doesn’t agree with what’s in it or it doesn’t meet their needs, an ECP can help them to identify their review rights and next steps. An ECP can also help to understand and implement a plan and connect a child, their family, and carers to mainstream services. |
| Plan reassessment | ECPs conduct plan reassessment meetings where they reflect on what’s working well for a child, their family, and carers, what they'd like to change, and how they can use their NDIS plan to achieve their goals. They can help prepare for a plan reassessment. If the goals are unclear before a plan reassessment, new goals can be developed in the reassessment meeting. ECPs also conduct participant check-ins. |
If you have concerns about your child’s development, you can first speak to your doctor, child health nurse, or other health professional. They’ll help you work out what supports you and your child may need, and they may connect you with an early childhood partner.
A support coordinator is a plan-funded support delivered by NDIS providers (both registered and non-registered).
While a LAC is a starting point if you want to request access to the NDIS, seek help to gather information, or have a plan implemented, if you require extra support, that’s when you may turn to a support coordinator.
A LAC is free, whereas a support coordinator is funded in an NDIS plan and has a stronger focus on capacity building.
| Awareness | A support coordinator comes into the picture later. |
| Planning | A support coordinator comes into the picture later. |
| Using a plan | If a plan is approved and you don’t agree with what’s in it, or it doesn’t meet your needs, your support coordinator can help you to identify your review rights and next steps. A support coordinator may assist you to: • understand and use your NDIS plan to pursue your goals • connect with NDIS-registered and unregistered providers, community supports, and government services • build your confidence and skills to coordinate and leverage your supports |
| Plan reassessment | If you have a support coordinator, they’ll support you in a plan reassessment meeting where you’ll reflect on what’s working well for you, what you’d like to change, and how you can use your NDIS plan to achieve your goals. They can help you prepare for the meeting. If you think your goals need to be reviewed before your plan reassessment, you can develop new goals with your support coordinator. |
To access a support coordinator, you’ll need to have support coordination funded in your NDIS plan. A good NDIA planner or LAC will automatically identify this need when your plan is being developed – however, you may need to request this service to ensure you receive appropriate supports.
If you initially planned with a LAC and you have a plan approved that includes support coordination, your LAC will contact you and ask if you have chosen a support coordinator who you want to work with. If you haven’t, they can assist you to find one.
Here’s some information about finding a support coordinator.
A plan manager is a provider that supports you to manage funding in your NDIS plan. My Plan Manager is Australia’s largest (and leading!) plan management provider.
| Awareness | We come into the picture later, but you may see us out in the local community explaining how we can support you by taking plan management off your plate and letting you focus on what’s important – growing capacity to achieve your plan goals. |
| Planning | Once you have access to the NDIS, your NDIA planner or LAC will discuss plan management with you in your planning meeting. If you tell them you want to be plan managed, they’ll put that forward to for approval by the NDIS. |
| Using a plan | At My Plan Manager, we process your invoices, reduce time-consuming paperwork, and support you to quickly and simply track your NDIS plan spending. We also work with you to maximise your NDIS plan and ensure it includes the important items that really make a difference to achieving your goals. We have a dedicated team of NDIS experts who can advise you on what supports, services and providers you can access through your funding, giving you the confidence and certainty to use your plan. We can also help you to find the right providers and, if ever you happen to run out of funding in one category, we can show you the different categories you may be able to claim from. We can help you to budget your plan to ensure you have supports in place for its entire duration. And we check that providers aren’t charging you more than the rates set out in the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits (formerly known as the NDIS Price Guide), which lists the maximum prices that registered providers can charge for specific supports. |
| Plan reassessment | Here’s our advice on how to prepare for a plan reassessment. |
An NDIA planner or LAC will first discuss plan management in a planning meeting once you have been approved to access the NDIS. If you tell them you want to be plan managed, they’ll put that forward for approval by the NDIS.
If you’re already funded for plan management and would like to join My Plan Manager, click here.
If you’re not happy with your existing plan manager, you have every right to change. Click here to switch to My Plan Manager.
If you have any questions, we’ll happily assist. You can email us at [email protected] or call us on 1800 861 272 from 8am-6pm (SA time), Monday to Friday to speak with our friendly team.
