OMG! Can you believe it.
.....the sixth pricing guide this year is delivered!
As always these things a fraught with possibility but often end up delivering moe complexity or issues. The mandarin policy vacuum on pricing can truly see no end. We can see that perhaps there is a means of addressing things through this mechanism but really this 6th iteration just highlights the very poor construction of the NDIS because to make new options we go back and constantly make adjustments..... the market and people living with disability were only just getting to grips with the last iteration a month ago!
Really!! Surely there is a better guidance mechanism for short term temporary matters?
NO... here's a hint... get one! @scottyfromarketing. This is NOT the best way to deliver change. It makes no sense and is piecemeal at best. And you continue to place vulnerable people and providers at signficant duress. Add to this... the information from each release now stands at around 130 pages of essential reading (snore) because there are always wording adjustments which affect service delivery or scope of services too.
Here's a few things to be aware of this time around to help delivery of supports to participants through the declared pandemic time. The NDIA has introduced a number of temporary changes, including:
- ⇒ NEW low cost assistive technology (AT) line item for capacity building supports and interpreting services delivered by telehealth (but there are new critiera such as you can only get the base model of a device (whatever it is) and the maximum cost allowed is reduced from the last few weeks of $1,500 down to $750);
- ⇒ NEW assistive technology (AT) rental line items to meet immediate safety needs when leaving hospital (Hospital discharge). See our post on this issue here;
- ⇒ NEW supported independent living (SIL) line items in the case of a coronavirus (COVID-19) diagnosis - so wave 2 means people in supported accommodation and locked-down from the outside world will get sick and the providers staff (whom probably got them sick because there is apparently no community transmission - think aged care facilities - will get paid extra to cope);
- ⇒ an advance payment to registered providers to increase the immediate availability of funds (carry over from 25 March - not really new at all) - just so you know very few providers are taking this option as it requires all future invoicing to be withheld until any advance payment is REPAID IN FULL - the effect is that providers taking it up will go broke after September 2020 when their cash flow hits zero instead and therefore would not be around to continue your supports regardless - we call this the 'kicking the can down the road trick';
- ⇒ a temporary 10 per cent increase to the price limit of some Core and Capacity Building supports (carry over from 25 March - not really new at all BUT the problem is your plans weren't adjusted to cope with this change because 'Scotty's team' just wants to ensure you have less later instead);
- ⇒ changes to the cancellation rules (carry over from 25 March - not really new at all but now modified further - SEE BELOW); and
- ⇒ three support coordination items under Core Supports to support plan flexibility (carry over from 25 March - not really new at all).
We wanted to particularly highlight the new cancellation rules - now revised presumably on the fact that there were no real adjustments to plan funds to cope with this - and in place for the COVID-19 period only. We've been practising this option all the way along... as its long been the intent to not charge customers if the work was replaceable by demand elsewhere... but perhaps there are some wacker lefty leaning misogynistic sandal wearers whom were taking a different approach? Hard to know.
Here's the new revised cancellation approach.... according to the 30 April 2020 Pricing Guide:
"In response to COVID19, a revised definition of short notice cancellations is effective from 25 March 2020 until further notice. The current 10% discount on the price paid for cancellations (“the 90% rule”) will be removed from 30 March 2020.
Where a provider has a short notice cancellation (or no show) they are able to recover 100% of the fee associated with the activity, subject to the terms of the service agreement with the participant (90% until 29 March 2020). Providers are only permitted to charge for a short notice cancellation (or no show) if they have not found alternative billable work for the relevant worker and are required to pay the worker for the time that would have been spent providing the support.
A cancellation is a short notice cancellation if the participant:
1. does not show up for a scheduled support within a reasonable time, or is not present at the agreed place and within a reasonable time when the provider is travelling to deliver the support; or
2. has given less than ten (10) clear business days’ notice for any other support.
Claims for a short notice cancellations should made using the same support item as would have been used if the support had been delivered, using the “Cancellation” option in the Myplace portal. When making a claim for a cancelled support the provider should claim for the full agreed price of
the support and indicate in the payment system that the claim is for a cancellation."
Don't worry... SchemeWise ensures we talk to you about these issues... and we only charge where and when it is apparent that no other factors occur and if we can't replace the work for you with similar work with another customer. We're always fair and we're on YOUR side!
