National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) reforms

Over the last couple of years, the scheme has been subjected to a few changes and reforms. The Information Paper Improving the National Disability Insurance Scheme outlines these reforms.

These reforms cover:

• the Participant Service Guarantee – aims to improve participants’ NDIS experience and the transparency, and consistency of NDIS decision-making. The Participant Service Charter and the Participant Service Improvement Plan were developed as part of this reform.
• Independent Assessments – designed to ensure fair and equitable access to the scheme. These have been put temporarily on hold by the NDIS Minister – the Honourable Senator Linda Reynolds.
• Supporting participants to use their NDIS funding – aims to provide greater flexibility to purchase disability-related supports. This reform introduces changes to the distinction between ‘core’ and ‘capacity building’ line items.
• Streamlining payments for supports to improve processing of claims and payments.
• Early Childhood Early Interventions (ECEI) supports to increase the age limit for ECEI pathway for children to 9 years old.

Find out more about current reforms on this Department of Social Services Engage page.