On 4 February, the Liberal/National coalition government has finally come to its senses and instructed the NDIS mandarins to recognise that which ought to have always been the case in terms of people with disability... being able to achieve MEANINGFUL community engagement and social participation under their NDIS plans! After all, what is the aim of setting outcomes for the NDIS in this area if the full cost in such activities is NOT recognised and where people living with disability and their carers (and families) often do not have to hand a capacity for additional discretionary spending. REALLY.... #scottyfrommarketing.... you couldn't have instructed your Minister to think about this more... like mulling it over with a rigorous pub test or two.... before amending the rules in October last year?!
Here's the official statement: (media release)
[The Minister] has announced improvements making it easier for providers to claim non-labour costs when transporting participants to and from activities in the community.
The NDIS Price Guide and Support Catalogue will be updated so providers can claim for the non-labour costs they incur when helping a participant get to and from other NDIS funded supports and services.
Non-labour costs associated with participant transport can include public transport fares, road tolls, parking fees, reasonable vehicle running costs and taxi or ride-share fares.
Providers will be able to claim using three new line items from Monday 2 March 2020. The updated Price Guide will be released in coming weeks and providers will be advised in an email when it's available.
These new line items are not subject to price limits, but the NDIS Price Guide will provide reasonable guidelines for claiming. Providers and participants will be able to discuss and agree on charges before those changes can be made to a service booking.
These changes have been introduced in response to feedback from participants and providers about a fair and consistent solution to claiming non-labour transport costs to ensure people with disability can continue to access supports in their communities.
[UPDATE] We now know that that the following provisions will apply to transport costs....
Participants and providers can discuss and agree on non-labour costs, when arranging a service booking, including:
- up to $0.85 a kilometre for a standard vehicle not modified for accessibility;
- up to $2.40 a kilometre for a vehicle that is modified for accessibility or a bus; and
- other forms of transport or associated costs up to the full amount, such as road tolls, parking, public transport fares.
An updated NDIS Price Guide and Support Catalogue will be available in the coming weeks.
[UPDATE] Just remember if you or your family have a car you can also ask your support worker to use this to take you to appointments which are non-NDIS services related (e.g. visit your doctor, go for a coffee, or to get the groceries), if this is possible? Another alternative could be to pay for you and your support worker to use a bus if you can OR you can also check to see if there is a community transport service in your area which will often by a smaller buss or van type service (most provide a set fee for return travel somewhere in your community). Don't forget to look to join a Taxi Subsidy Scheme in your state/territory which can reduce this form of travel by around 40-50%.
Now for the sting in the tail....
There is one bit of wording to be VERY CAREFUL about: 'to and from other NDIS funded supports and services.' This means if you are going to see your doctor, or have an appointment, or need to get some medication from your chemist, or any other help you need to get from a mainstream provider or general community activity not paid by your NDIS plan... that you will still not be able to include the transport cost (charge) under your core community participation funds. You WILL be able to utilsie your travel allowance for this though (until its expended anyway). This means the government back-track is essentially half-assed and only half-way the real solution in terms of addressing legitimate needs. However, its better than the case has been...!
You will be able to use core daily activities and community participation funds with the new transport codes once they commence. The key here is to think of the following: "Am I using my support worker to help me access another NDIS funded service -like a day program, to access a personal trainer, attended a supported service or therapy' This is the ONLY kind of circumstance where the transport codes can be applied.
There will also be yet another new pricing guide to the market on 2 March 2020. Since July 2019, this is the fourth set of changes. And as before no providers will have advance idea of what the rules, codes, etc will be BEFOREHAND. And regardless, until your service agreement(s) are amended a provider cannot simply charge or use the new options. IF you have NOT heard from a provider but you think you need this option please ensure you talk with them about the need for making an amendment to your current agreement. Yet again... in as many months there will be a lot of work for everyone. #scottyfrommarketing - this is another royal stuff-up which will greatly impact provider and participants to get arrangements sorted. Last time around SchemeWise evidenced it took 6-8 weeks to settle arrangements and work through the confusion for our customers... and sometimes the confusion with providers understanding the rule changes too!
One big issue everyone will need to be careful of is whether more/additional etc rule changes around use of supports also occurs with the updated price guide in March. In every single case, of the last four editions of the pricing guide rules have been clarified, changed, or modified in some way. Some of these have been helpful... others like transport; completely the opposite. We ALL have no idea at this stage if any other rules might be affected by new pricing guidance either.
And for the record.... there is an annual pricing review underway... so there will be yet another pricing guide released with inflationary adjustments around 1 July 2020. Brace yourselves. Bumpy road ahead!
Overall, it would be fair to say it seems someone (#scottyfrommarketing) has forgotten the Tune Review recommendations to reduce complexity and red tape etc already. Even when there is yet to be an official reply to that review's recommendations. (Sigh). Bring on the election! Like soon! Really really soon....!! Seriously...the entrenched incompetency and void of policy leadership is truly remarkable. The NDIS marketplace needs real on-the-ground consistency not constant backtracking, ass-covering and unhelpful bureaucratic meddling. I guess we all need to remember its easy to sit behind a desk and postulate... or is that procrastinate?! An actually consultative NDIS would be a useful first step.... or perhaps the line agency the Department of Social Security which ought be responsible for policy settings needs to step up and do its job. Certainly the NDIS muppets and the current government can't.
More information is (possibly) available in the news item on the NDIS website.
