The NDIS – an idea that was first broached at the end of the Second World War – is being hailed as the biggest social reform of our lifetime.
The NDIS will provide government-funded support and services for people living with disability. People will have access to the supports and services they need to meet their goals and live an ‘ordinary life’.
Supports and services must be deemed ‘
reasonable and necessary’ by the
National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).
It is expected to support around 460,000 Australians living with a disability when it's fully rolled out.
The NDIS will:
- be a single national system
- integrate with other sectors such as health, aged care, education and housing
- be administered by a Commonwealth statutory authority, the NDIA
- have no impact on the Disability Support Pension and is not a means-tested entitlement
- double the financial resources committed to disability
- substantially increase the disability workforce
- meet many unmet needs, such as equipment, home modifications, coordination and respite
- provide the individual with purchasing power, and choice and control
The NDIS has bipartisan support, so all governments are working together to ensure its success.
The NDIS is partially funded by an increase to the Medicare levy, which means that all of society is contributing toward the funds needed to run the scheme.
There is lots of good information available at
www.ndis.gov.au
Many people with disability, including people living with multiple sclerosis, are not getting enough supports and services. Some people get none at all. Up until now, people with disability have been dealing with a ‘postcode lottery’ – the level of service they receive depends on where they live.
In the current scheme, there hasn't been a sufficient slice of the pie for those with a neurological disability like multiple sclerosis. There are several reasons for this, including the unpredictable nature of the disease, and the fact that many people living with multiple sclerosis don't associate their impairment with disability.
The
Productivity Commission Report delivered in 2011 said that disability support arrangements were inequitable, underfunded, fragmented and inefficient. They give people with disability little choice.
This led to a call for a single national scheme to drive choice and control and a lifetime approach to meeting people's needs — the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
The NDIS will be delivered by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).
The NDIS is a national scheme and is administered through Commonwealth legislation.
Funding for the scheme is through the pooling of state, territory and commonwealth programs. There was also an increase to the Medicare levy in 2014 to help fund the national rollout of the scheme.
The NDIS is based on your goals, and the supports and services you need to achieve them.
The way you access the NDIS depends on whether you have accessed specialist disability supports in the past or not.
If you have received specialist disability services in the past, then the NDIA will be in contact with you to discuss next steps. If you are concerned that you haven’t heard from them, contact MS Connect on 1800 042 138 and we will help you through this.
If you haven’t received specialist disability services in the past, call MS Connect on 1800 042 138 and we’ll talk you through the next steps. We will help you check your eligibility.
Learn more by reading
the access process information sheet and the
thinking about goals information sheet.
The current system is state-based and focused on delivering supports through programs.
The new system, the NDIS, is a national scheme that gives people choice and control and individualised support. It focuses on a lifetime approach to meet a person’s needs.
The principles and focus of the scheme are to:
- increase social and economic participation
- provide choice and control to the person with a disability
- enhance quality of life for people with a disability, their family and carers.
What is different for you?
- Instead of you having to fit into the programs and services an organisation offers, you can make choices and decisions about the services and support that best fit your goals
- You have more control — you have a say in your providers and the services you need to help you meet your personal goals
- You are a customer with individual funds to purchase supports and services — not a client, who is advised about what they need
- You’ll need to make lots of decisions, and consider what you value in a provider
- Services are not rationed, and supports are based on your goals and the support you need to achieve those goals across your lifetime
What is different for providers of support (such as MS organisations)?
- We’re stepping away from a charitable/welfare model, into a competitive marketplace
- People living with multiple sclerosis will get to choose if they want to purchase services from us
- Currently, block funding is received from state government, in advance to deliver the programs. This will shift to payment for individual services, after the service has been provided
- We will have to be customer-focused, responsive and provide value for money
Yes, over 400 people living with multiple sclerosis across Australia have become participants of the NDIS.
The Scheme is changing people’s lives. Learn more by watching our
‘My NDIS Story’ videos.
Yes – your NDIS plan should not affect your eligibility to hold a Health Care Card. If for some reason your Health Care Card does get cancelled then please contact
Centrelink to reinstate your card.
No – once you are receiving support from an NDIS plan including any necessary transport related funded supports you will no longer be eligible for the Mobility Allowance. However, this will be replaced by funding for transport in your NDIS plan if deemed reasonable and necessary so ensure the NDIS Local Area Coordinator or NDIS Planner knows you are receiving mobility allowance when having your planning conversation with them. You will also be able to keep your Health Care Card if you have an NDIS plan. If you do not become a participant for the NDIS you will still be able to receive Mobility Allowance. For more information please
visit the NDIS website.
Accessing the NDIS
Eligibility considers a person’s age, impairments, whether the impairment is permanent or likely to be permanent and whether the person would benefit from early intervention.
Early intervention aims to put measures in place that limit the deterioration of disability symptoms, enabling people with a disability to live fuller lives for longer.
In addition, to be eligible a person must:
- have a permanent and significant impairment
- be up to the age of 65
- be an Australian citizen, a permanent resident of Australia or a NZ citizen who is a protected special category visa holder
- be living in an NDIS rollout area – read about when the NDIS is coming to your area by reading our rollout information sheets
Many multiple sclerosis symptoms are considered permanent and significant impairments and may be supported by the NDIS. If you’re not sure if your symptoms are considered permanent and significant impairments, call us on 1800 042 138 and we can talk through this together.
NDIA funded supports must be deemed what they call “reasonable and necessary”.
The NDIA makes decisions based on the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (NDIS Act) and the rules made under the NDIS Act. The operational guidelines also provide practical guidance for decision makers.
When the NDIA makes decisions about which supports would be reasonable and necessary for a particular participant, they refer to the particular operational guideline that relates to each specific support.
In order to be considered reasonable and necessary, a support must:
- be related to the participant’s disability
- not include day-to-day living costs that are not related to a participant’s disability support needs
- represent value for money
- be likely to be effective and beneficial to the participant, and
- take into account informal supports given to participants by families, carers, networks, and the community.
Many multiple sclerosis symptoms are considered permanent and significant impairments and may be supported by the NDIS. If you’re not sure if your symptoms are considered permanent and significant impairments, call us on 1800 042 138 and we can talk through this together.
Call MS Connect on 1800 042 138 and we can have a discussion about your situation and we can tell you if you’re likely to be eligible, and support you through the next steps.
It’s really good to be prepared before you contact the NDIA, and we can help you with this.
Potentially, yes.
One of the objectives of the NDIS is to provide support that could help to prevent your symptoms from further deteriorating.
With the scheme now in action it’s clear that eligibility is not limited to people with mobility issues. However this determination will be made in consultation with NDIA.
Completing our
checklist will help think about the types of support and services that might help you achieve your goals.
Potentially. It depends on whether you meet the disability requirements. You may be eligible for supports and services to keep you in the workforce.
If you want to talk through your individual situation, please contact MS Connect on 1800 042 138.
Here at MS we offer mission services which are funded by our generous fundraisers and supporters.
Those who are not eligible for the NDIS will still rely on MS services to maintain their quality of life, employment viability and delay of disease progression. Our mission services are there to meet these needs. This includes:
- MS Connect — our gateway to MS information, advice, support and services. This includes information about the disease, symptom management, support for people who are newly diagnosed, adjustment support and help to navigate the NDIS.
- MS Advisor — access to allied health professional advice for free, without having to travel or wait for long periods of time. Our MS Nurse Advisor, MS Social Work Advisor and MS Continence Nurse Advisor are available for in-depth consultation and specialist advice over the phone, Skype or FaceTime. The Advisors can also help you connect into local support and services.
- MS Peer Support — provides connections into others living with the disease, to give and receive practical and emotional support. It’s also a great way to make new friends! It can be one-on-one or in a group, face-to-face, online, or over the phone — whatever makes people feel the most comfortable.
- MS Education — our sessions cover a wide breadth of topics and can be accessed face-to-face, over the phone or via a webinar in the comfort of your own home, and you can access archived recordings too.
- MS Go for Gold Scholarships — open to people living with multiple sclerosis who wish to follow a dream in a number of areas, including education, travel, the arts, music, sport, employment and lifestyle. Each scholarship is around $3,000 in value, and they are funded by our MS 24 Hr Mega Swims.
- MS Financial Assistance Program — provides one-off funds for those facing financial hardship. The funds can be used to purchase equipment or air conditioners to promote quality of life and help with health related matters. Call MS Connect for more information.
- Tailored information — about living well with multiple sclerosis, such as health and wellness, symptom management, sexuality, complementary and alternative therapies and parenting.
Call MS Connect on 1800 042 138 and we can have a discussion about your situation and we can tell you if you’re likely to be eligible, and support you through the next steps.
It’s really good to be prepared before you contact the NDIA, and we can help you with this.
After this you may need to complete an Access Request Form. We can help you with this.
To become a participant of the Scheme you may need to complete an Access Request Form. This is mainly for people who haven’t received specialist disability funded supports in the past.
This is mailed to you by the Agency after your phone conversation if they think you may be eligible for support and services.
The information required in the form includes:
- date of birth
- home address
- whether you are an Australian citizen, permanent resident or a New Zealand citizen who is a Protected Special Category Visa holder
- your diagnosis and your impairments.
The form also includes a section on evidence of disability. Generally you’ll need your GP, neurologist or another health professional to help you complete this.
If your health professional is unfamiliar with the access request form, we can provide advice about how best to describe your impairments and your invisible symptoms.
It’s really good to be prepared before you contact the NDIA, and we can help you with this. Call MS Connect on 1800 042 138.
Yes, people receiving support though ‘Living Life My Way’ will phase across to the NDIS when the scheme is rolled out.
While eligibility requirements must be met in order to receive NDIS support, this does not necessarily mean an increase in paperwork.
One of the aims of the NDIS is to avoid duplication and stop people having to repeat themselves, so the NDIA encourages participants to provide their current information and assessments.
It’s really good to be prepared before you contact the NDIA, and we can help you with this. Call MS Connect on 1800 042 138.
People who acquire a disability under the age of 65 years and become a Participant of the scheme can continue to receive support from the NDIS for the rest of their life unless they choose to move to the aged care system.
People who acquire a disability after the age of 65 years can access the aged care system. Advocacy continues around this issue.
If you’re over 65 or turning 65 soon, call MS Connect on 1800 042 138 and we can discuss your situation.
Local Area Coordination services are there to help people enter and make the most of the NDIS. They aim to support people to build strong, inclusive relationships in their communities.
The NDIA has LAC partners in each state:
- in Victoria this is the Brotherhood of St Laurence and Latrobe Community Health Service and Intereach
- in New South Wales this is St Vincent De Paul and Uniting
- in ACT, the NDIA handle this role
- in TAS
The LAC will meet with you to discuss your support needs and existing routine, social and community network. They will discuss your goals and aspirations, abilities and activities you have difficulty with because of your disability.
The LAC then passes this on to an NDIA planner who will draft your plan based on this information.
It’s really good to be prepared before you meet with your LAC, and we can help you with this. Call MS Connect on 1800 042 138.
The NDIA Planner’s role is to put together a draft plan and when this has been approved by you and the Agency the Planner will provide you with your Statement of Supports and Services.
If you feel your draft plan isn’t right for you, contact MS Connect on 1800 042 138 and we can support you through this.
Carers
The NDIA has a number of criteria that a provider needs to meet. These include safeguards, financial management and who is managing the funding for the support on your plan.
For example, if you decide to independently manage your funding under the plan, and NDIA doesn’t think there is any unreasonable risk in you doing this, carers may not be required to be registered providers.
The requirement for registering providers is to make it safer you.
The NDIA will work with you to determine how much care is required from informal carers, and this will determine the funding you’ll receive.
Many supports and services will relieve the pressure on carers.
It is completely appropriate for you to discuss your informal supports and family circumstances with NDIA.
NDIA will also determine what is needed to strengthen and sustain these informal supports, when they are looking at your funding.
It’s really good to be prepared before you contact the NDIA, and we can help you with this. Call MS Connect on 1800 042 138.
Providers
The whole concept of the NDIS is to give people with disability greater “choice and control”. You will have the ability to decide where you allocate your funding.
As a result, you can choose your providers based on your individual needs and values. For example, some people will value providers close to their homes. Others will value providers with experience in multiple sclerosis. You will need to decide what it’s important to you.
The NDIS includes
Support Coordination in some plans. This service helps you to make your plan active and select the right providers for you. You can ask NDIA to include this in your plan if you think it may be of benefit.
MS is a registered NDIS provider for Support Coordination and some other services. With 60 years’ of insights, we have a deep understanding of how progressive neurological symptoms can impact your everyday life and goals.
We’re here to stand beside you, support you and empower you to make your NDIS plan active. We work with you in partnership to make sure your plan works well for you.
We take direction from you about how you want to manage your plan. You might choose to allocate some responsibilities to us, while you take others. The choice and control is yours. And together, we can work toward your goals and improve your life.
We’re excellent listeners, we have great insights into a wide range of providers, and we can help match you with those who meet your values.
Call MS Connect on 1800 042 138 to discuss your individual situation.
The NDIA will consider applications for a person or entity to become a registered provider based on the following set criteria:
- ABN number
- An account with a financial institution
- Applicants agreement to be bound by the NDIA’s terms of business
- Applicant’s declaration there are mechanisms in place to ensure ongoing compliance with all employment and workplace health and safety laws
- Quality Assurance
Once you become an NDIS participant you will have access to the provider portal – which provides contact details for a whole range of providers.
Some types of support don’t need to be registered providers – for example, you may choose a local lawn mowing service. They won’t need to be registered, but the method of payment may be different.
We can help you with any questions you may have about this. Contact MS Connect on 1800 042 138.
Depending on where you live, yes — it is anticipated that there will be an increase in providers offering greater choice, and you’ll be able to determine which provider is right for you.
This will vary according to where you live and the opportunities for providers there and it may take some time for new services and providers to come to your area.
Managing funds
The NDIS is funded on an “as needs” basis, based on your specific and individual needs. The supports are funded based on what is deemed “
reasonable and necessary” to achieve your goals.
This is to ensure people are receiving the right services and support they require, when they need it.
If your circumstances change, you will have another conversation with the NDIA to modify your plan.
There’s no benefit in “stockpiling” your NDIS funding. It is best used in line with your plan.
It’s really good to be prepared before you contact the NDIA, and we can help you with this. Call MS Connect on 1800 042 138.
The NDIA will generally review your plan to see how you’re tracking in achieving your goals once a year. This annual review provides an opportunity to discuss any changes to your support and any new goals you may have. If your needs change before your annual review you can initiate a review, by contacting NDIA or your Support Coordinator.
NDIS is all about being responsive when you need changes to your support, and being proactive to avoid more costs in the long-term. This is great news for people living with multiple sclerosis, due to its unpredictable nature.
During the review conversation with NDIA, you’ll discuss other elements of your life in context — such as informal care, the circumstances that have changed and your goals.
It’s really good to be prepared before you contact the NDIA, and we can help you with this. Call MS Connect on 1800 042 138.
Yes it may be possible to overspend.
In your plan there will be an agreed number of support and service hours, and the funding to match.
You will need to track the funding in your plan against the supports you’re using. NDIA can include funding for somebody to help you manage this if it’s considered reasonable and necessary.
Plans do have some flexibility to purchase more hours from time to time however you can exceed the total value.
Support Coordinators can also help you plan out your services and supports which will keep you on track. We offer this service – contact MS Connect on 1800 042 138 for more information.
No. Funds allocated to you are to provide the support in your plan and enable to you to achieve your goals.
Providers will be regulated as per their industry.
As the NDIA is an Australian Government agency, it falls under the jurisdiction of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) and the Commonwealth Ombudsman.
Receiving a Disability Support Pension will not lessen the amount of funding you receive from the Agency for support and services. The scheme is not means tests.
There are a number of safe guards and processes in place to ensure funds are appropriately managed. For example if a participant self manages their funds they will need to provide statements or receipts associated with purchases.
Funds are paid in instalments if the participant or nominated person is managing the funds.
You can contact the NDIA for more information.
Support and services
The types of supports that the NDIS may fund for participants include:
- • daily personal activities
- • transport to enable participation in community, social, economic and daily life activities
- • workplace help to allow a participant to successfully get or keep employment in the open or supported labour market
- • therapeutic supports including behaviour support
- • help with household tasks to allow the participant to maintain their home environment
- • help to a participant by skilled personnel in aids or equipment assessment, set up and training
- • home modification design and construction
- • mobility equipment, and
- • vehicle modifications.
If you want to talk through your individual situation, please contact MS Connect on 1800 042 138.
The NDIS includes Support Coordination in some plans. This service helps you to make your plan active and select the right providers for you. You can ask NDIA to include this in your plan if you think it may be of benefit.
MS is a registered NDIS provider for Support Coordination and some other services. With 60 years’ of insights, we have a deep understanding of how progressive neurological symptoms can impact your everyday life and goals.
We’re here to stand beside you, support you and empower you to make your NDIS plan active. We work with you in partnership to make sure your plan works well for you.
We take direction from you about how you want to manage your plan. You might choose to allocate some responsibilities to us, while you take others. The choice and control is yours. And together, we can work toward your goals and improve your life.
We’re excellent listeners, we have great insights into a wide range of providers, and we can help match you with those who meet your values.
Call MS Connect on 1800 042 138 to discuss your individual situation.
No. Support is based on each person’s goals, and what is deemed
reasonable and necessary – so it’s different from person to person.
We’re not sure how new accommodation and respite facilities will be provided yet, as the N does not have block funds to purchase or build new services.
There is a specialist taskforce looking at broader residential options.
Better residential options and a more responsive funding model may mean that some people will be able to keep living at home comfortably.
We offer some respite options. Contact MS Connect™ (Freecall 1800 042 138 or email
msconnect@ms.org.au) for more information.
Learning about the NDIS
There are many ways to receive information about the progress of the NDIS.
Read our
Intouch monthly eNewsletter and keep checking back here in our NDIS section.
You can also visit
www.ndis.gov.au.
It is not an official requirement for neurologists and doctors to inform patients about the NDIS. However most of them will educate themselves about how NDIS works and can benefit you.
We are also very happy to help you understand it. Call MS Connect on 1800 042 138.