Feedback is being sought on pricing within the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Photo: vadimguzhva.
Your feedback on your experiences with NDIS pricing could help shape future reforms to the scheme.
The Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority (IHACPA) is investigating opportunities for future reforms to pricing for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
As part of this work, which it is undertaking on behalf of the Federal Government, it wants to hear from those directly involved.
The authority will be holding in-person workshops in Canberra this Thursday (24 October) to hear from NDIS participants, carers, families, providers and workers.
“We are seeking input from the NDIS community on how NDIS pricing is working for them and how it may be improved,” an IHACPA spokesperson said.
The authority says that currently, pricing is not aligned across the care and support sector, including the NDIS, aged care and veterans’ care.
“This means that some services that are the same or similar attract different prices, depending on which government program is paying for the service,” it says.
It says one of the impacts of this is that users may unnecessarily pay more for services or be unable to find them.
The authority’s upcoming in-person workshops in Canberra are the latest in a series that has already taken in the Northern Territory and Tasmania. The first stop was Darwin.
“Together with our expert advisor, the Hon Vicki O’Halloran, we heard from NDIS participants, families and carers, services providers, and disability advocates from both Darwin and Nhulunbuy,” an IHACPA spokesperson said of this stop.
“These were rich discussions, allowing us to hear about the pricing challenges experienced in rural and remote regions.”
The two ACT workshops will be held on Thursday (24 October) at Novotel Canberra in Civic.
The first will be for NDIS providers, peak bodies and industry stakeholders from 9:30 to 11:30 am. To register for this workshop, click here.
The second will be for people with disability, families, carers and advocates from 1 to 3 pm. To register, click here.
IHACPA wants to know what you think is important to consider in pricing the NDIS, how pricing approaches can best operate, as well as what does and doesn’t work.
Refreshments will be provided. If you have accessibility requirements, state these when you register.
The feedback will be used for a report IHACPA will prepare for the Federal Government by the end of the year.
If stakeholders are unable to attend the in-person workshops in Canberra, they can:
- Make an online submission
- Answer a list of questions
- Share ideas in Easy Read.
Earlier this month it was revealed that almost $7 million of NDIS funding has been spent on subsidising overseas holidays for participants and their carers.
Also, a leading national think tank claimed group homes funded under the NDIS were costing taxpayers more than $350,000 per person each year and said they should be phased out.
Original Article published by Albert McKnight on Riotact.
