Registration for individuals or organisations to become a provider of support or products to a participant in the NDIS is open.

Key points for consideration for becoming a provider are:

• So far 17,300 people are benefitting from the NDIS across seven trial sites with over $950 million invested in services and equipment
• The roll out of the NDIS in new areas started from 1 July 2016
• Over 460,000 Australians with disability will enter the NDIS in the coming years, meaning that there are significant growth opportunities for providers who respond to this new demand
• Resources and tools will be available to help providers adjust to the new market environment.

Registration information NDIS roll out schedules are outlined on the NDIS website.

Prices for supports included in participant plans are developed and published by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). NDIA will update prices on an annual basis, effective 1 July each year. Pricing and associated arrangements are designed to help providers to transition to the open market environment of the NDIS, maximising choice for participants, and providing incentives for participants and providers to co-develop new services and products.

The NDIA has been examining pricing arrangements for supports in four key areas, for which there will be increased prices or new support items and pricing in 2016/17:

• Reviewing the application of existing pricing arrangements for key supports, including Personal Care, Community Participation and Supported Independent Living.
• Updating price loadings, which will be 18% for remote areas and 23% for very remote locations.
• Reviewing the role of intermediaries and the pricing arrangements for the supports they provide.
• Funding Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) providers for the first time under the NDIS.

The NDIS has updated its provider portal on 11 October 2016, including:

• The NDIS Contact Centre, 1800 800 110 is now operating 8am to 11pm local times, Monday to Friday
• How to fix the top three reasons for unsuccessful payments: contact the participant for the claim amount greater than participant’s available budget; check payment request history in the provider portal for duplicate payment requests; and check the approved provider registration groups if provider does not have an approved registration for the support item
• Participants can no longer view benchmark price for an unapproved quotable item.

On 22 September 2016, ACT celebrated a major milestone by announcing the 5000th participant to receive NDIS plan. Wahibe Omran, who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis 11 years ago said “I hope the NDIS can help to improve my quality of life, and to help me get comfortable in getting out of the house more,” she said.

Hon Jane Prentice, Assistant Minister for Social Services and Disability Services, said the increased demand for disability support would also lead to a surge in job opportunities in the region. She said, “It is expected there will be up to 1000 new full time jobs created in ACT alone. The number of NDIS registered providers in the ACT has nearly doubled in just over two years since the launch commenced.”

More on My Health Career:

• From frustration to freedom – how physiotherapist Michael Dermansky changed his approach to help his clients achieve results beyond their wildest dreams
• Is online therapy as good as talking face-to-face with a clinician?
• The first national approach to supporting children with developmental delay or disability

Photo credit: Parker Knight via Visual hunt / CC BY