The NDS helpdesk has been busy this month responding to your NDIS and sector related questions. We have chosen the top five responses

Question 1:

Apart from the NDIS Price Guide, where can I find information relevant to the type of supports delivered by Allied Health Assistants and how to claim?

Answer 1:

The Pricing Review of Therapy Services page of the NDIS website hosts a document called the 'review of therapy pricing arrangements'. Table 15 of this document details the pricing structure for therapy assistants and lists qualification requirements and the types of activities undertaken by Level 1 and Level 2 assistants.

The Allied Health Practitioner Students and Provisional Psychologists page of the NDIS website includes detailed information regarding payment and claiming.

The website states: "As a paid unsupervised practitioner, a provisionally registered psychologist can charge at the rate applicable to an Allied Health Assistant Level 2 or as a counsellor".

When the provider is claiming against the counsellor line item, they must ensure the service delivered aligns with the description of this support and that the Allied Health Assistant meets the requirements of counsellor in the NDIS Practice Standards Required Documentation module.

Question 2:

Can you please advise whether it is possible to provide personal care support for a participant whilst they are in hospital if they have requested it?

Answer 2:

No, the NDIS does not fund personal care supports for a participant while they are in hospital. This is a responsibility of the health system.

The Health page of the NDIS website states, "Health system funds…Medication, general medical and dental services and treatment, specialist services, hospital care, surgery and rehabilitation."

The COAG document titled - Principles to Determine the Responsibilities of the NDIS and Other Service Systems, delineates the responsibilities of the health system and other service systems from the NDIS.

According to the NDIS Operational Guidelines, the NDIS will fund some supports provided to participants at the same time as they are accessing the mainstream health systems (these are known as 'concurrent supports'). The examples provided include assistive technology, support coordination and specific communication supports where included in the participant's NDIS plan.

This does not include personal care, regardless of the participant's preferences.

Question 3:

Do Residential Aged Care providers supporting NDIS Participants need to be registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, and what aged care fees and charged does the NDIS fund?

Answer 3:

Yes, all residential aged care providers supporting NDIS participants will be required to be registered with the NDIS Commission from 1 December 2020. Further information found on the NDIS Commission website.

The NDIS Operational Guideline – Younger people in residential aged care includes a table of fees and charges, listing who is responsible for these costs.

Question 4:

What’s the purpose of a program of supports and is there a line item we should use?

Answer 4:

The purpose of a program of supports is to give the participant and the provider security when delivering a group-based support.

When the service agreement stipulates a program of support has been agreed, supports delivered during this program are not subject to the short notice cancellation rules and the provider may claim for each instance of support whether or not the participant was available to attend the activity.

The program of support allows the participant and provider to agree on a structure of activities for the 12 week period, clearly calculating the cost and the intended outcomes.

The program of support is developed using the group pricing and relevant line items when delivering:

• Core - Assistance in Shared Living Arrangements - Supported Independent Living
• Core - Assistance with Social, Economic and Community Participation
• Employment
• Any of the capacity building supports

The individual line items available in the above categories can be found in the Support Catalogue 2020‒21 (CSV 144KB) - located under the NDIS Price Guide word document on the NDIS Price Guides and Pricing webpage.

There is not a specific line item for a program of supports and the provider would claim each time the support was provided using the relevant line item and price applicable to the activity

Question 5:

What changes has the NDIA made to implement the Participant Service Improvement Plan?

Answer 5: 

As at 21 September 2020 changes include:

• Including a contact name on letters and communication
• Health and Justice Liaison Officers now in operation
• Personal data and plan details can now be accessed without having to ask through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request
• Each participant will have a current contact for all interactions with the NDIA. The NDIS contact is listed on the myplace portal
• Work is underway updating the NDIS operational guidelines so they are simple, clear and easy to use
• Further information on the NDIS website.

If you're an NDS member and have a question of your own – please post it on the NDS Helpdesk.