Plan managing your NDIS funding with In the Drivers Seat gives you more options & more time to live the life you want.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is changing the way people with disabilities receive government support and funding, giving you more power over the way you work towards your goals.
Starting and managing an NDIS plan can be stressful and confusing. It is our mission to offer individualised supports, in meaningful and transparent ways, so that the initial complexities and ongoing responsibilities of being an NDIS participant don’t get in the way of you living your best life.
As an NDIS participant, you have three main options: Agency, Self or Plan managed, though you may also select a combination of these choices. Being plan managed relieves you of provider restrictions that are imposed by being agency managed and offers more price flexibility, without the additional time commitment of paying bills that comes with self management.
As a plan managed participant, you choose the services you use, the providers you engage, and how much of your budget you allocate for them. You maintain total control over when and how those services are delivered. To be plan managed, you must request ‘Improved Life Choices’ be included in your NDIS plan at the time of your planning meeting.
Plan and Financial Capacity Building
This reasonable and necessary support focuses on strengthening the participant’s ability to undertake tasks associated with the management of their supports. This includes:
Plan and Financial Capacity Building providers are expected to assist the participant to develop their skills for self-management in future plans, where this is possible. As a part of this capacity building support, providers are to assist the participant with the overall management of the plan including assisting the participant to engage providers, develop service agreements, paying providers and claiming payment from the NDIA and assisting the participant to maintain records.
Funding for plan management includes an establishment fee and payments at an hourly rate for completing this work.
Plan Management – Financial Administration (previously referred to as Financial Intermediary)
Plan Management – Financial Administration funding applies to registered providers who undertake financial administration of a plan on behalf of a participant.
Plan Management – Financial Administration funding includes a setup fee to establish the payment arrangements with providers and a monthly processing fee. This support assists a participant by:
A Plan Management – Financial Administration provider will typically possess bookkeeping/accounting skills and have systems in place for efficiently processing payments on behalf of a participant.
The benefits
You have maximum flexibility with how you want to spend your NDIS budgets — you can use any provider, for any supports in your plan, even if they are not registered with the NDIS. You can even hire your own workers.
Why would you want to use a plan manager?
Participants who choose Plan Management have a few advantages:
How much funding do people receive?
In their first plans, Participants receive $1425.01 for Plan Management in non-remote areas. This is a combination of:
Occasionally participants are also funded for an amount of "Plan and Financial Capacity Building" hours at $55.27 per hour. Undertaking regular liaison with a participant to strengthening their ability to undertake tasks associated with the management of their supports. Providers of this support are to assist the participant with the overall management of the plan including assisting the participant to engage providers, develop service agreements, paying providers and claiming payment from the NDIA and assisting the participant to maintain records.
Plan Management is always included in the Plan in addition to other supports if you choose for your plan to be plan managed. Participants do not pay a percentage of their Plan.
In the Drivers Seat only takes on a small number of participants to provide individual support to. We are a registered member of Australian Bookkeepers Association, Member #6878.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is changing the way people with disabilities receive government support and funding, giving you more power over the way you work towards your goals.
Starting and managing an NDIS plan can be stressful and confusing. It is our mission to offer individualised supports, in meaningful and transparent ways, so that the initial complexities and ongoing responsibilities of being an NDIS participant don’t get in the way of you living your best life.
As an NDIS participant, you have three main options: Agency, Self or Plan managed, though you may also select a combination of these choices. Being plan managed relieves you of provider restrictions that are imposed by being agency managed and offers more price flexibility, without the additional time commitment of paying bills that comes with self management.
As a plan managed participant, you choose the services you use, the providers you engage, and how much of your budget you allocate for them. You maintain total control over when and how those services are delivered. To be plan managed, you must request ‘Improved Life Choices’ be included in your NDIS plan at the time of your planning meeting.
Plan and Financial Capacity Building
This reasonable and necessary support focuses on strengthening the participant’s ability to undertake tasks associated with the management of their supports. This includes:
- Building financial skills
- Organisational skills
- Enhancing the participant’s ability to direct their supports
- Develop self-management capabilities
Plan and Financial Capacity Building providers are expected to assist the participant to develop their skills for self-management in future plans, where this is possible. As a part of this capacity building support, providers are to assist the participant with the overall management of the plan including assisting the participant to engage providers, develop service agreements, paying providers and claiming payment from the NDIA and assisting the participant to maintain records.
Funding for plan management includes an establishment fee and payments at an hourly rate for completing this work.
Plan Management – Financial Administration (previously referred to as Financial Intermediary)
Plan Management – Financial Administration funding applies to registered providers who undertake financial administration of a plan on behalf of a participant.
Plan Management – Financial Administration funding includes a setup fee to establish the payment arrangements with providers and a monthly processing fee. This support assists a participant by:
- Giving increased control over plan implementation and utilisation with plan financial assistance
- Managing and monitoring budgets over the course of the plan
- Managing NDIS claims and paying providers for delivered service
- Maintaining records and producing regular statements showing the financial position of the plan
- Providing advice on commercial terms within service agreements
- Providing access to a wider range of service providers, including non-registered providers whilst remaining in line with the price limits contained within this Guide.
A Plan Management – Financial Administration provider will typically possess bookkeeping/accounting skills and have systems in place for efficiently processing payments on behalf of a participant.
The benefits
You have maximum flexibility with how you want to spend your NDIS budgets — you can use any provider, for any supports in your plan, even if they are not registered with the NDIS. You can even hire your own workers.
Why would you want to use a plan manager?
Participants who choose Plan Management have a few advantages:
- You can buy supports from non-NDIS registered providers
- You don't have to use the NDIS Portal.
- You have a partner in navigating the NDIS and someone to help you make the most of your Plan.
- You have most of the choice and control of Self Management without the administrative burden.
How much funding do people receive?
In their first plans, Participants receive $1425.01 for Plan Management in non-remote areas. This is a combination of:
- 12 x monthly processing fee at $100.18 per month
- Set up fee of $$222.85 (per each plan period)
Occasionally participants are also funded for an amount of "Plan and Financial Capacity Building" hours at $55.27 per hour. Undertaking regular liaison with a participant to strengthening their ability to undertake tasks associated with the management of their supports. Providers of this support are to assist the participant with the overall management of the plan including assisting the participant to engage providers, develop service agreements, paying providers and claiming payment from the NDIA and assisting the participant to maintain records.
Plan Management is always included in the Plan in addition to other supports if you choose for your plan to be plan managed. Participants do not pay a percentage of their Plan.
In the Drivers Seat only takes on a small number of participants to provide individual support to. We are a registered member of Australian Bookkeepers Association, Member #6878.
