The government has introduced legislation to improve the NDIS experiences of participants, their families and carers.
The amendments provide for a significant reduction in administrative red tape and strengthen the person-centred focus of the NDIS.
Key reforms in the bill include:
- The Participant Service Guarantee will set timeframes for decision making by the National Disability Insurance Agency and set strict service standards
- The Commonwealth Ombudsman will report on the NDIA’s performance against the Guarantee
- Increased flexibility for participants and NDIA
- Embedding co-design with people with disability and their representatives
- Participants can make changes to their plan without the need for a full plan review
- Flexibility in how payments can be made allowing the NDIA to pay providers directly on behalf of participants – so participants don’t need to use their own money for services and claim re-imbursement
- Provisions that originally enabled transition to the NDIS are no longer needed now the scheme is fully operational nationally
- The requirements to be considered in making appointments to the NDIA Board will be extended to specifically include people with disability or lived experience of disability.