The APA welcomed the announcement from the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) that it will scrap its tiered-pricing model in favour of a more sustainable increased hourly rate for physiotherapists working with and treating the complex health needs of Australians living with significant disabilities.

The change is a reversal of the original National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Independent Pricing Review recommendation from 2018.

On 30 March, Minister for Families and Social Services, Paul Fletcher, announced a six per cent increase to the hourly rate, bringing it to $190 per hour. Physiotherapists working in Western Australia, Northern Territory, South Australia and Tasmania will see their rate increase to $220 per hour, which is an acknowledgement of the smaller markets in which they operate and the corresponding greater business costs associated with supporting NDIS participants in these states.

Working closely with the NDIA over the past 12 months, we have continued to support our case for the increased rates. Further collaborative work is now being undertaken to develop a consumer and provider price guide that will explain how physiotherapy treatment is charged and the services it provides to make a positive difference to the lives of NDIS participants.

Click here to view the APA’s full media release.

In other NDIS news, a new national independent body, The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, has been regulating NDIS providers based in South Australia and New South Wales since 1 July 2018.

If you have registered to be a therapeutic support provider in NSW or SA and renewed your registration by 30 March 2019, you have nine months to finalise your renewal. This will allow you time to consider your options if you are unsure whether you will or you will not remain a registered provider in the scheme. If you chose to remain registered, you will need to meet the requirements of registration prior to the renewal period ending. If you choose not to continue as a registered provider your registration will lapse after this time.

From 1 July this year the Commission will also roll out in Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. Until 1 July, your current state or territory requirements for quality and safeguards will continue to apply.

Go to ndiscommission.gov.au for more information or email policy@australian.physio.