NDIS Pricing Updates 2022 - 2023
Understanding the updated NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits (formerly known as the NDIS Price Guide) is critical for NDIS service providers. The updated arrangements will come into effect from the 1st of July 2022 to address the known cost pressures on providers.
If you are a provider, it's essential for you to understand how these significant changes will affect you and your business.
The NDIS Price Guide 2022–2023 contains several significant updates. This blog will summarise these changes and what they mean for you as a provider.
NDIS Disability Support Worker Cost Model
The price limit for services delivered by disability support workers will rise by 9%. This includes:
1.7% increase to base prices
2% temporary loading, reviewed annually
4.6% increase in award minimum wages
0.5% increase to superannuation guarantee charge
Short notice cancellations are now 7 days
The definition of "short notice" has been extended. Previously set at 2 days for shorter supports or 5 days for others, the definition is now set where a person:
Does not show up for a scheduled service 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
Has given less than seven (7) clear days’ notice for support.
Providers are now also allowed to bill for Centre Capital Cost in the event of a short notice cancellation.
Nursing Support up by 2.94%
Nursing support price limits will rise by 2.94% to keep them in line with the Wage Price Index and Consumer Price Index.
Therapy, Support Management and Plan Coordination
In contrast, therapy, plan coordination and level two and three support management will not see any increase in price limits. The NDIA have announced that “further work will be conducted to review therapy price limits.”
Extension of COVID-19 booster payment for disability support workers
COVID-19 booster payment for disability support workers has been extended to 31 August 2022.
Registered providers in the following registration groups can claim $100 per worker for a booster vaccination:
0104 High Intensity Daily Personal Activities
0107 Daily Personal Activities
0115 Assistance with Daily Life Tasks in a Group or Shared Living Arrangement
0125 Participation in Community, Social and Civic Activities
The COVID-19 Addendum has been updated to reflect this change.
Regional, remote and very remote area support
Providers of core support will now have the same pricing arrangements as providers of capacity building support, if the participants are in remote and/or very remote areas. In practice, this means that providers can bill for journeys to and from the participant's location if certain criteria is met.
What does this mean for NDIS Service Providers?
With the 2022 NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits announced just days before they come into effect, service providers should make sure that everyone in the business is across the changes.
Make sure you are billing the updated prices. This is particularly important if there has been a decrease, e.g., you were previously billing for level 3 high intensity support. Billing incorrectly would cause problems for your NDIS payment requests resulting in cash flow issues.
It’s also important to update the pricing if the prices represent an increase. Delays will result in lost income that your business won’t be able to recoup later. Pay close attention the first time you bill under the new price arrangements and limits, making sure that all the invoices have been updated.
If any of the terms which have been updated are relevant to your business, make sure to double-check them and reassign support as needed.
It's recommended to check if any existing clients are now considered to be living in remote areas, and if core support workers can bill for travel time (providing they meet the criteria).
Lastly, as a business you need to remember that your clients may also be looking to you for information, and whether the updated NDIS prices will affect them. It's a time for increasing communication and providing reassurance of your services. In cases, where the the price updates affect their support or services, ensure that your team reach out to them and provide them with correct information immediately.
Centro ASSIST
Keeping up with NDIS regulatory changes can be difficult. We make it easy with our ongoing updates, notifications and more. All of our content is regularly reviewed and updated by our team of experts as changes within the NDIS occur. This means you spend less time on monitoring changes and more time supporting your clients.
If you’d like a bit of guidance on how to manage your ongoing compliance using our web-app, our team at Centro ASSIST would love to help.
We’ve helped multiple businesses across Australia transform their organisational compliance, we can help you to do the same. Simply, get in touch.