March 30, 2020

Important COVID-19 pricing update

Gateways would like to inform you of the following changes that NDIA has put in place.

For participants, there are lots of improvements in flexibility and activities to ensure continuity of funding arrangements for your needs, the NDIS website has more details.

For providers NDIA has introduced a number of changes to help providers to continue to deliver supports to participants through this time, these include:

• A temporary 10 per cent increase to the price limit of some Core and Capacity Building supports
• Changes to the cancellation rules, as well
• Additional Support Coordination for participants who currently do not have Support Coordination in their NDIS Plan or who need additional hours to assist them through this difficult time.

Temporary increase in price limits

The NDIA will temporarily increase price limits by 10 per cent for the following critical supports, effective 25 March 2020:

• Assistance with Daily Life (not including Supported Independent Living) – Core Supports – Individual Support (Respite)
• Assistance with Social and Community Participation –  Core Supports – Community Access (Recreation)
• Improved Daily Living Skills –  Capacity Building – Therapy

These changes were effective from 25 March and will be in place for six months. The NDIA will review this change in three months to assess if the changes continue to be appropriate. Gateways will continue to claim under the current line item. The NDIA has automatically updated the line items to include the 10 per cent increase.

https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/price-guides-and-pricing#10pc

Supported Independent Living is excluded from the temporary increase in price limits at this stage. Prices paid for SIL can only be changed as part of a plan review.

Cancellations

The definition of short notice cancellation is changed to enable providers to better plan the use of their staff. From 25 March 2020, participants will be required to give 10 business days’ notice (up from two days) for a cancellation if they want to avoid paying the full fee for a cancelled service. Gateways has decided to stay with 2 business days, though this could be reviewed in the future if required.

Please refer to the NDIS Price Guide https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/price-guides-and-pricing#10pc

This change in the definition of short notice cancellations is for a six-month period (25 March 2020 to 25 September 2020), with an initial review at three months to determine if it continues to be appropriate. When reviewing, the NDIA will consider a range of factors, including the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic.

From 30 March, providers will also be able to claim 100 per cent of the agreed support price when a participant cancels a service at short notice (up from 90 per cent).

Our goal will be to provide you with supports over the phone or using the internet or in your house for as long as it is safe for you and for us so that we minimise the need to cancel your services.

New line items for Support Coordination

These services are for participants who currently do not have Support Coordination in their NDIS Plan or who need additional hours to assist them through this difficult time. Please contact us if you wish to discuss this.

Three new support coordination items have been introduced to the support catalogue under Core Supports, Assistance with Daily Life, effective 25 March 2020:

• 01_790_0106_8_3 – Level 1: Support Connection
• 01_791_0106_8_3 – Level 2: Coordination Of Supports
• ·01_793_0106_8_3 – Level 3: Specialist Support Coordination

The new line items duplicate items already claimable under Capacity Building Supports. The new item numbers allow participants to use their funds more flexibly to access these supports from either their Core or Capacity Building budgets.

If you have any questions about the above information, or need any support or have ideas, please do not hesitate to contact your program coordinator or manager.

Kind regards,

Stephanie Gunn

CEO – Gateways Support Services