NDIS Price Guide update December 2020

The NDIS has published an updated Price Guide effective 1 December 2020 (Version 2.0). Below are the important changes that may affect your pricing structure.

Equal Remuneration Order (ERO) adjustment

Pay rates for some employees in the social and community services industry are gradually increasing under the Equal Remuneration Order made by the Fair Work Commission. The NDIA has updated its Disability Support Worker Cost Model due to an adjustment coming into effect on 1 December. This results in a price increase for 369 NDIS support items. Price limits will increase by between 1.5% and 2.7%. A full list of the NDIS line items determined by the cost model can be found here.

NDIS providers are advised to inform their customers of this increase and adjust the pay rate for their employees under the Social and Community Award accordingly.

Telehealth

The new Price Guide is also clarifying arrangements for supports delivered by Telehealth. Telehealth can be used to deliver direct supports where appropriate and with the agreement of the participant. The provider will need the agreement of the participant in advance to be able to claim for the support. Claims for Telehealth Services should be made using the relevant support item by using the ‘Telehealth Services’ option in the myplace portal or by stating this on the invoice.

Early Childhood Intervention Supports

The new NDIS Price Guide clarifies that providers of Early Intervention Supports for Early Childhood can include 1:1 supports in a ‘program of supports’ (of up to 12 weeks in length) but only where these are provided in combination with group supports within the program.

NDIS Support Catalogue

The NDIS Support Catalogue has been updated accordingly and also lists five additional columns. These columns identify if the provider can claim for provider travel, non-face to face support, short notice cancellation, NDIA reports or irregular Supported Independent Living (SIL) support for the correlating supports.