Am I Eligible for NDIS Plan Management?

In short, yes! 

All NDIS participants are eligible for NDIS Plan Management. If you’re not an NDIS participant yet but would like to be, check out our article on NDIS eligibility. Once an NDIS applicant has been approved, their first plan will be developed based on their support requirements and goals. At this point in time, participants should express how they would like their plan to be managed. There are three options: 

Plan Managed - which means professional Plan Managers take care of all financial aspects of your plan. When choosing a firm, we recommend you select one with a qualified accountant. Plan management provides all the flexibility of self-management, but makes life easier by paying all the provider's bills on the participant's behalf, keeping a careful eye on the budgets and providers service agreements, providing regular budget reports and maintaining all records. Participants have the choice of using registered and non-registered providers. They also have access to expert advice. 

Self-managed - which means that participants and their representatives need to pay all the provider's bills themselves, keep track of the budgets, juggle service agreements and maintain records. Being Self-managed means that registered and non-registered providers can be utilised. 

Agency-managed (or NDIS-managed) means that providers must be registered, and they need to make their claims directly to the NDIA. 

All participants need to do to become Plan Managed, is to request for it to be included in their plan. 

There is no eligibility criteria for having plan management. The best part is, it’s of no extra cost to you and is covered by the NDIA. It’s funded separately from the plan itself, which means money isn’t taken away from other supports.

Opting for a Plan Manager to take responsibility for your NDIS funding comes with many benefits. 

You get to choose your providers. This gives you autonomy and flexibility to choose providers that you know and trust. You’re also not limited to choosing only NDIS-registered providers, so you can find the best supports for you and your situation regardless of their registration. Plan managers can also ensure providers are charging within the NDIS price guide limits, so you know your funds and budget are being managed correctly.

Plan management also makes it easier to submit and process claims.

Plan managers will take care of the whole process for you, so you don’t have to worry about things being paid on time or what is or isn’t covered. Professional plan managers understand the NDIS ins and outs and all the subsequent inclusions and necessary paperwork needed within your plan. They also make sure all invoicing is done efficiently and on time. 

So how do I apply for plan management?

You can let the NDIA know at your next planning meeting that you would like to be plan managed. You can also connect with a plan manager through your local area coordinator, early childhood partner or support coordinator. If you are already self-managing your plan or having the NDIA manage your plan, you can contact the NDIS to request a change. If you’re unsure, we can help you through the process. 

Take our short survey Am I Eligible for NDIS Plan Management below, or get in touch to find out more.