The NDIA has to reassess a plan at least once in five years. Sometimes they will ‘assess’ a plan and decide just to extend it. In this case, your plan doesn’t change. Other times, they will decide they need to do a complete reassessment.
When the NDIA reassesses a plan, they could give you more funding or reduce your funding. You’ve probably seen stories about plans being cut drastically. So how do you prepare for a plan review to get the funding you need?
We’ve put together some information for you below. Please bear in mind that we’re plan managers, and that’s where our expertise is. There are specialists out there who can help you prepare for your plan reassessment. If you need more than our basic suggestions, please seek out an expert who can help you with this.
How do I know if my plan is being reassessed?
Your plan shows a start date, and a plan end date. This is also called a “plan reassessment date” or “plan review due date”. If you don’t receive a new plan by this date, you will get a plan extension. Confused by all the terminology? Check out our blog Plan Extensions and Variations.
If the NDIA decides to give you a plan extension rather than a new plan, they will let you know. This usually happens via letter, about three months before your plan end date. However, those letters don’t always arrive! If you haven’t heard anything, you can get in touch with them to ask if you will have a plan extension.
The NDIA may get in touch with you, or your support coordinator, to let you know they’ve decided to do a reassessment. This could be via a letter as well. Sometimes though, the NDIA is a bit sneakier than that!
Participant Check Ins
The NDIA has “participant check-ins” to make sure that your plan is still working for you. It sounds like a great idea, but based on what we’ve heard, we wanted to share the following:
- If you get an unexpected call from someone saying they’re from the NDIA, please identify them first. Scammers can get all sorts of details from you by pretending to be someone they are not. We do not recommend giving out your date of birth or NDIS number unless you are sure who you’re giving it to.
- If you get a call from the NDIA, ask if it is going to affect your plan or is part of your review. We’ve been told about five-minute phone calls from the NDIA asking if participants were happy with their plans. Based on that, new plans were issued without any further contact. The resulting new plans:
- Didn’t meet the needs of the participant.
- Cut funding drastically.
- Restricted supports so less services could be used.
- You have the right to have your support coordinator or someone else help you with your NDIS plan. You can ask to have these people at your reassessment meeting. Tell the NDIA who you want to have at your meeting. The NDIA can then book a time with you and your supports.
How do I prepare for a reassessment?
The NDIS needs to consider whether your current plan is still the best plan for you. They use reports and evidence to make their decision.
- Each of your therapists should submit a report. The NDIS has tips as to what those reports should contain. Make sure you keep aside enough funding from your current plan for getting these reports.
- Some supports need quotes or specific forms to be completed. If this is the case for you, your support coordinator can help with those. You can also find out more in the NDIS Fact Sheet “Evidence you need to give us before we create or change your plan”.
- Get reports and any supporting documentation / evidence to the NDIS early enough. You can usually submit them up to three months in advance. Make sure you keep copies of everything, and records of when and how you submitted it.
- When you get into your meeting, make sure the planner has received all the documents. If they have not, email them a copy and ask if you can reschedule the meeting until after they’ve read your documents.
- New plans all have funding periods, usually with equal funding in each period. If these won’t work for you, you’ll need to discuss this.
- Complex plans tend to be for shorter periods, like one year. Other plans are often for five years. If you think you might have a significant change in your circumstances during that time, tell the planner.
- You can only use your funds for NDIS approved supports. If you need supports that are not on the ‘yes’ list, or are on the ‘no’ list, you need approval. Ask for these specific supports during your plan review. For example, you need an everyday item to assist you with personal care, but it’s on the ‘no’ list. This needs to be approved by the planner and written into your plan, before you can use your funds for it. If there is no proof that it’s been approved for you, you can’t use your funds for it.
- Ask the planner to send you a copy of your plan as a pdf once it has been issued. While you should be able to download a copy of your plan from the NDIS portal, this doesn’t always work.
- If you don’t already have access to the MyNDIS portal, ask for that. You can use the portal to keep an eye on your funding, download a copy of your plan, and upload any documentation.
- If you are going to be plan managed for the first time, you will need to endorse your new plan manager. Your planner can organise the endorsement for you if you tell them who you choose.
- The planner can also organise a referral to a support coordinator / psychosocial recovery coach for you.
Your new plan
Once you’ve had a plan reassessment meeting, your planner will issue your new plan. Depending on the planner and complexity of the plan, they may go through it with you before they issue it. Often, they will just issue it and let you know afterwards.
You may receive an offer to have a plan implementation meeting. At this meeting, the planner will go through your plan with you and explain how you can use it. This is the time to ask questions and point out mistakes so they can be fixed straight away!
Double check that:
- Your personal details and circumstances on the plan are correct.
- Your plan includes the funding that your planner told you was going to be included.
- Approved non-NDIS supports have been written into your plan.
- The funding periods are what you requested.
- The plan management type is what you expected.
- Your endorsement for a plan manager, and referral to a support coordinator have been done.
- The NDIS has your bank account details so you can have transport funding paid. This is only if the funding is shown as being ‘self-managed’ or ‘recurrent’ on your plan. If transport funding is plan managed, it cannot be paid into your bank account.
You can usually contact the planner for a very short time after your plan has been issued. After that, you need to get in touch with the person listed as your MyNDIS contact on your plan.
Once you have your plan, send a copy to your plan manager and support coordinator. You can choose whether to share your plan with any other providers. You do need to let your providers know what your goals are. You do not have to share all your funding details, only the amounts that you assign to them.
Still have questions?
If you are not sure about anything, get in touch with someone and ask them. You could ask:
- Your support coordinator or psychosocial recovery coach, if you have one.
- Your “My NDIS Contact” as listed on your plan. This may be a planner, LAC or Early Childhood Partner.
- The NDIS via email, calling 1800 800 110 or doing a webchat.
As always, feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions.
Email: accounts@ontimeplanservices.com.au
Phone: 03 5446 5400
Text: 0429 800 482