The Bargain Value Of An NDIS Plan Manager
Written by: Zach Henderson | Marketing + Business Development Team
Every NDIS Participant has options when it comes to how their NDIS Plan is managed.
They can request to have their NDIS Plan;
- Plan Managed;
- Agency Managed; or
- Self Managed.
Unless there is an identified risk of misuse of funds, in which case the National Disability Insurance Agency’s (NDIA) CEO can direct that the plan must be Agency Managed, the NDIS Participant has the choice of how their NDIS Plan is to be managed. If you choose Plan Managed, and subsequently work with an NDIS Plan Manager as a part of your NDIS Plan and wider support network, congratulations, you’ve just got a vital support and a great asset in the form of having the right person and team in your corner, however, there are a few things you need to know.
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), the government body in charge of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), have recently released the new NDIS Pricing Arrangement and Pricing Limits (PAPL) 2025-2026, which outlines the criteria and maximum rates claimable for plan managed and agency-managed funding. This latest PAPL introduces rate increase for some supports, some very significant shifts for others, and no changes for some. Most notably, there is the continuation of your NDIS Plan Manager coming to you at a “bargain” value, having not received an increase in rates for the seventh consecutive year.
Confused by that statement? Don’t worry, we’ll break it down for you.
Understanding Your NDIS Plan Manager’s Role [According To The NDIS]
According to the NDIS website:
“Plan Management is when a provider supports you to manage funding in your NDIS Plan.”
If we dive deeper into the NDIS’ description of NDIS Plan Management in the Guide to Plan Management, we can see that NDIS Plan Managers support NDIS Participants by:
- Managing and monitoring an NDIS Participant’s Budget;
- Managing an NDIS Participant’s NDIS claims and disbursing funds to providers for services delivered;
- Providing regular statements to an NDIS Participant to show the financial status of their NDIS Plan, including prompt notification of over or under-utilisation;
- Offering increased choice and control to an NDIS Participant over NDIS Plan implementation and utilisation through access to both registered and non-registered providers; and
- NDIS Participants can also receive advice from Plan Managers about how to best utilise their NDIS Plan funding, which can assist in building an NDIS Participant’s financial capacity and knowledge.
Sounds simple enough! But what if we dive deeper?
| Service Establishment Responsibilities | Ongoing Service Responsibilities |
| Discussion about an NDIS Participant’s supports and goals as stated in the NDIS plan | Managing and monitoring an NDIS Participant’s budget in accordance with applicable service agreements for the duration of the NDIS plan |
| Provide information about respective responsibilities to ensure supports obtained are aligned with an NDIS Participant’s NDIS plan | Managing the NDIS claims and disbursing funds to providers for delivered services promptly |
| Provide confirmation that there is sufficient NDIS funding in an NDIS Participant’s NDIS Plan for supports | Ensuring funds are being spent in accordance with the plan and in line with the expected NDIS plan spend |
| Agree on a preferred method of invoicing and/or how receipts for reimbursement are exchanged | Maintaining records for an NDIS Participant and producing regular (at least monthly) statements showing the financial status of an NDIS Participant’s NDIS Plan |
| Obtain an NDIS Participant’s preferences regarding visibility over provider invoices sent to an NDIS Plan manager | Provide information showing the financial status of an NDIS Participant’s NDIS Plan. This could include electronically generated statements and access to online dashboards |
| Walk through an NDIS Plan manager’s process for receiving and managing invoices | Provide an end date for processing invoices |
| Outline the responsibilities of an NDIS Participant and NDIS Plan management provider for ongoing monitoring and management of the NDIS Plan budget | Provide a statement when an NDIS Participant chooses to switch NDIS plan management providers and/or at plan review. This could include electronically generated statements and access to online dashboards. |
| Provide information about established dispute resolution processes | Providing access to a wider range of service providers, including non-registered providers, while ensuring compliance with the price limits contained within the NDIS Price Guide – as required |
So, if we were to wrap it all up in a neat parcel, pop a bow on top of NDIS Plan Management, and give it to one of our NDIS Participants, this is what Canny Plan Management delivers to its clients:
- Unbiased and expert services and knowledge with the NDIS Participants’ needs as a focus;
- Enable access to a larger array of service providers;
- Help with planning their budget in their NDIS Plan;
- Help to understand exactly what they’re eligible to claim on their NDIS Plan (and what they cannot claim, which is vitally important to remaining compliant with the NDIS);
- Ensure their providers are paid accurately and within the NDIS recommended timeframe;
- A Disability sector professional in their corner;
- We keep clear and concise messaging around their NDIS Plan’s financial uses, not only helping with your budget but also keeping transparency by tracking expenditures;
- Assist them in managing their NDIS Plan so as to mitigate the risk of over expenditure and exceeding allocated funds;
- Provide a Budget Report, which gives a breakdown of their NDIS Plan Supports funding, showing how much has been spent and how much is left. It also includes a list of invoices processed; and
- To top it all off, access to a dynamic client dashboard that is available 24/7 to view current expenditure balances and details of invoices received and processed to date.
Want to understand better how Canny Plan Management works with NDIS Participants with their budgets? Check out this previous blog we put together: How NDIS Plan Managers Help Budget
The Bargain Value Of Your NDIS Plan Manager
The value of NDIS Plan Management is widely considered under-valued in the eyes of Disability Intermediaries, ourselves included.
Unfortunately, this time around, we are seeing a repeat issue where the NDIS has not delivered any relief that intermediaries, being NDIS Plan Managers and Support Coordinators, deserve.
Particularly for NDIS Plan Managers, there are heavy blows on three fronts:
- The monthly financial management fee remains the same for the sixth year in a row. It has stayed static at $140.45 per month per NDIS Participant since July 2020;
- Meaning for all the growth and complexity of the NDIS that’s happened over the last six years that NDIS Plan Managers have to access and manage, especially the legislative changes and ever-changing NDIS systems, along with the increased expectations of the NDIA, NDIS participants and providers, their workload is significantly higher without extra compensation or recognition;
- The setup fee has been removed, which allowed NDIS Plan Managers $232.35 to set up an NDIS Participant’s new NDIS Plan, prepare initial budget and funding information and guide the participant through it.
- The removal of the set-up fee, representing a 15.6% reduction in the fees payable to an NDIS Plan Manager in the first year of an NDIS Plan;
- The loadings for delivering NDIS Plan Management in remote and very remote locations have also been removed; and
- This is a story that’s not just familiar to NDIS Plan Managers, but Support Coordinators have also seen no price cap increase yet again for 2025-2026.
Want to know more about the changes in legislation that have been happening in the NDIS world? Check out this previous blog we put together: Have the NDIS Plan Legislation Changes Held Up?
The Annual Pricing Review + How The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Sees NDIS Plan Managers Worth
The Annual Pricing Review (APR) is the prelude to the Pricing Arrangements and Pricing Limits that tell us what information the NDIA has based their decisions on.
This time around, we see the NDIA making the frustrating decision to maintain, effectively freeze the Monthly Fee for NDIS Plan Management.
The APR states that –
“Most Plan Management payments, at a figure of 99.3%, are delivered by providers supporting over 20 participants, indicating administrative efficiency with volume. This suggests that the Monthly Fee remains sufficient for the ongoing delivery of these functions.”
The recommendation based on the above figures is to keep the NDIS Plan Management Monthly Fee the same. This is an extremely disappointing outcome given it fails to even compensate for inflation… over six years! You’d be hard pressed to find a fee that hasn’t gone up by even just the rate of inflation to compensate for the rising cost of living and business costs. NDIS Plan Management had once again been left behind by the NDIA, even though over half (66%) of all NDIS Participants choose NDIS Plan Management for all or some of their NDIS Plan.
It’s apparent now more than ever that there are undervalued professionals in the NDIS space by the National Disability Insurance Agency, and in an ever-changing space where NDIS Plan Managers must do more, know more, and be more, it’s a hard pill to swallow to know that we aren’t receiving any recognition from the NDIA.
Understanding Your NDIS Plan Manager’s Role [According to Canny Plan Management]
Canny Plan Management sets itself apart from other NDIS Plan Managers.
We provide more than just the payment of invoices!
- We are person-centred;
- We are responsive; and
- We are passionate.
We use our NDIS knowledge to help guide our clients through their NDIS Plan and the NDIS as a whole.
Beyond handling invoices, you can expect to meet with you, whether it be digitally or face to face (a rare offering these days), resolve any payment issues, provide you with monthly statements, answer questions, provide information and deliver a service centred around your needs.
Canny Plan Management is like having a trusted friend as your NDIS Plan Manager, someone who is truly in your corner and wants you to get the best out of your NDIS Plan.
Canny Plan Management + How We Value Our Clients
Canny Plan Management is there for you beyond just basic funds management; that’s where the real bargain comes into play. You gain NDIS experts in your corner who have the knowledge and the tools to fight for what your NDIS Plan should include to help you lead your best life.
NDIS Plan Managers not only help you to be compliant with NDIS requirements, but also take the administrative stress of managing your NDIS Plan away, allowing you to use your time for things you enjoy.
Get in touch to have a chat with us today and find out how we can become part of your support network.
