What is the NDIS?

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a major recently introduced Government scheme to enable Australians with a permanent disability to manage their treatment, and empower them to have control over their needs and goals. The scheme began rolling out in June 2016 to eligible Australians. The rollout is expected to be completed during 2019, with approximately 460,000 Australians accessing the scheme by 2020. For more information on the NDIS, to check your eligibility and apply to be a participant, visit the government NDIS website here.
 

How are NDIS plans managed?

A key aim of the NDIS is to offer increased choice and control for those who require support to manage their disability. By directly involving individuals to develop their personal care plan and allocating their funds, they are empowered to make choices that improve their lifestyle and encourage them to be more involved in the community.

There are a number of ways an NDIS plan can be managed, depending on the specific needs of the individual.

Self-Managed 

Following your assessment with the NDIA, it will be determined if your situation is suitable for you to self-manage your NDIS funding, completely or partially.
As a self-managed NDIS participant, you’ll receive funds directly into your NDIS bank account which you can then use to pay for specific equipment and services. You’ll be responsible for choosing and arranging your own support services, and to ensure invoices are paid on time.
Managing your own NDIS plan allows you to have more freedom when it comes to choosing your providers, regardless of whether they are NDIS registered.

If you choose to self-manage your NDIS plan, it’s important that you keep an accurate record of your invoices and payments. You’ll need to request invoice details from providers and then submit a claim to the NDIS in order to receive the funds to pay for them; or pay upfront and then seek reimbursement. A fully self-managed plan may not be appropriate for all participants, and you can choose to work with an agency or your plan manager to get assistance with managing your plan.

Agency Managed

You can opt to have the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) manage your plan for you. With this option, the NDIA pays your support providers directly on your behalf. In choosing this option, you will need to ensure your providers are NDIS registered. Look for the NDIS button, like what you see on our website, or ask them if they are registered.

Plan Managed

Alternately, a third-party plan manager can look after your NDIS funds and payments. Your plan manager will pay your Providers on your behalf. These are service providers that specialise in working with persons who require multiple supports and therefore there is a fee charged for their services rendered. The cost of this service can be included in your NDIS plan, if appropriate for your situation.

Combination

You can also choose to have your plan managed in a combination of the above options. You may also be entitled to set up automated payments to cover transport services you use regularly.

How does the NDIS work?

If you’re eligible for the NDIS, the first stage is to develop a plan which outlines your specific personal goals and what it will take to achieve these goals.

The NDIS provides funds for various services and aids outlined in your care plan. These things must be linked to a particular outcome, and help you improve your lifestyle and activities. Funding can be applied to:

• help with day-to-day activities that increase your social or economic participation;
• equipment or modifications that allow you to carry out tasks without assistance, or increase your mobility;
• therapy and training to help you live the life you want.

Once you apply, you’ll be put in touch with someone from the National Disability Insurance Agency who’ll speak with you to develop your plan. This first plan runs for 12 months, and will then be reviewed to ensure you receive enough funding to help you achieve your goals.

How is funding determined by the NDIS?

The aim of the NDIS is to offer flexibility and appropriate funding to meet your needs, rather than broad solutions that may not be suitable for everyone.

The NDIS is designed to cover all “reasonable and necessary supports”. Your funding can be used to pay for services, products, and assistive devices that will help you become more independent and engaged within the community. The specific things this covers is broad and it’s up to you, your carers and the NDIS to determine the exact type of support you need.

As a result, NDIS funding is determined on an individual basis – no two plans look the same, and there isn’t a set amount of funding for each person.

When you meet with your NDIS representative, they’ll ask you questions about your daily support needs, how you manage day-to-day activities, and what goals you have for increased social, economic and community interaction. From there, they’ll help you come up with a set of goals and outcomes, and determine the funding you need to achieve these.

Your initial plan runs for 12 months, but you can ask for it to be reviewed at any time if you feel it’s not helping you meet your goals.

Some things the NDIS can be used to pay for include:

• Daily consumables related to your disability like continence aids or food for an assistance dog. The NDIS can’t be used to cover your regular groceries, but you can use funding to pay for delivery or help with getting to the shops, if needed.
• Walking aids, communication devices, or prosthetics.
• Health services, physiotherapy and other occupational health services to improve mobility, social interaction or work activities.
• Home modifications, personal care and at-home services to assist with you remaining at home.
• Mobility aids and equipment such as wheelchairs, lifts, hearing aids and adjustable beds.

Find out more about how the NDIS can be used to purchase mobility aids and products for home, work and social activities here. 

What is the process for getting started?

Your first interaction with the NDIS is through the creation of your first plan. While the NDIA aims to make this process as streamlined as possible, it can still be confusing. What’s important to consider is what is missing from your current supports that would make your life easier or better, and how you could use NDIS funding to obtain those supports.

The NDIS process is as follows:

1. Determine if you’re eligible for NDIS funding.
2. Consider your current lifestyle, the support you currently have, equipment you rely on and how satisfactory these are.
3. Identify your goals and the type of lifestyle you’d like to have or activities you’d like to take part in.
4. Gather all the information you need, including recommendations from treating providers and carers, and anything else to support your plan.

The NDIS focuses a lot on goals and outcomes, and if you haven’t done much goal setting in the past, it can be daunting to consider these things.

While your NDIA representative can help, it’s a good idea to go to your first meeting with a few of your goals written down and the specific things you need to help you reach them. It can help to speak with your family, healthcare professionals and carers (both informal and formal), to talk about what a positive outcome could look like for you.​

For more on coming up with your goals and preparing for your first meeting, click here.

What now?

The NDIS is a relatively new scheme and there is a lot of conflicting information around about how to access it and what is covered. Help is available to assist you in the process, including understanding your eligibility and developing and managing your plan. Some of this assistance can even be funded under the NDIS. As you develop and implement your plan, it’s important that you ask any questions as they come up, reach out to experienced providers and gather as much information as you need.

You can also speak with registered NDIS providers about the type of support you may be able to receive and how to incorporate them into your plan. Access Rehab Equipment is a registered NDIS provider and our expert team is able to help you with: finding the right assistive technology for your needs; trialling a range of assistive technology and products either in our showroom or at home, and home modifications advice and fittings to help you live more independently.

To speak with one of our team, call 1300 723 830 and we will connect you with an Equipment Specialist.