NDIA rolls out new pricing changes

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) has disclosed new pricing for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), anticipating broader reforms intended to bolster the NDIS provider market.

The NDIA released its Annual Pricing Review (APR) for 2023/24, setting the maximum price limits for services provided to NDIS participants by health professionals and providers.

The 2023/24 APR reflects recent increases in award wages by the Fair Work Commission, ensuring fair remuneration for those delivering essential services to Australians with disabilities.

National Disability Insurance Agency’s Annual Pricing Review for 2023-24

Key changes effective from July 1 include:

• implementing the Fair Work Commission’s wage and superannuation increases to ensure fair worker compensation;
• raising price limits for supports governed by the NDIS Disability Support Worker Cost Model, including Level 1 support coordination, to reflect the wage changes from the Fair Work Commission’s Annual Wage Review;
• increasing price limits for psychologists, nurses, and other supports in line with wage and cost of living increases;
• keeping current pricing for therapy (excluding psychologists) and support coordination levels 2 and 3; and
• adjusting the short-notice cancellation period for non-disability support worker-related supports to two business days to better align with market practices.

The APR consultation was conducted alongside the comprehensive NDIS Review and Disability Royal Commission, both of which are expected to lead to significant reforms in disability support in Australia.

While this year’s APR proposes few immediate changes, the NDIA – which recently increased its investment in co-designing key reforms to the NDIS – said it is committed to enhancing the NDIS pricing model to ensure a high-quality, diverse provider market that can meet participants’ needs.

National Disability Insurance Scheme pricing structure review

In the upcoming months, the NDIA will engage an independent expert to review the NDIS pricing structure ahead of the next APR.

The agency plans to introduce a new pricing model by 2025 to ensure the market can sustain the diverse needs of NDIS participants and the scheme’s long-term viability.

Throughout the NDIS pricing review, the agency said it will collaborate with providers to ensure they have the necessary information, support, and resources to continue delivering vital services to participants. This includes the new “Quality Supports” program, which will see the agency directly commission providers to deliver quality services to participants at risk of not receiving needed supports.