NDIA Accountability Project

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Add or update mid-cost assistive technology (AT) in a plan approval case

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Add or update mid-cost assistive technology (AT) in a plan approval case

This article provides guidance for a planner delegate to:

  • how to use the AT item budget tool
  • add mid-cost AT in the participant’s plan, including replacement of mid-cost AT
  • update mid-cost AT in the participant’s plan, including replacement of mid-cost AT.

For high-cost and low-cost assistive technology, go to articles Add or update high-cost assistive technology in a plan approval case and Add low-cost assistive technology in a plan approval case.

Recent updates

October 2023 Current guidance

Before you start

You have:

  • access to PANDA
  • read and understood Our Guideline – Reasonable and necessary supports (external)
  • read and understood Our Guideline – Assistive Technology (external)
  • received Technical Advisory Branch (TAB) advice using a PACE internal referral, if needed
  • referred to the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits (external) if needed
  • determined if the participant has a diagnosis of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and requires AT supports
  • read and understood article Understand the product catalogue
  • read and understood article Support Categories

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  • checked the request for AT does not relate to a participant requested review (s48 request), a review of a reviewable decision (s100 request) or a complaint about AT supports.

Note: If the request relates to one of the above, you will need to make sure the request is actioned by the right business area. Talk with your team leader if you need further advice.

How to use the AT Item Budget tool

  1. Open the intranet and select NDIS PANDA and PANDA live under My Links.
  2. Select View PANDA.
  3. Type AT Budget in the search bar and select search. Select AT item budget tool. Use the AT Item Budget Tool to find the correct mid-cost AT code. This will help you to determine the funding amount. You must consider all costs which may come with the AT item such as:
  • delivery
  • set-up/installation
  • rental of a similar item due to maintenance, repairs or short-term rental. You need to add this funding as a separate item to the support category Assistive Technology – Maintenance, repair and rental. You can also use this procedure to search the benchmark price for low-cost and high-cost AT.
  1. From Step 1 in the AT Item Budget tool, enter the item name or code. Note: For Motor Neurone Disease, type flexible in the Search for item field.
  2. Select the item from drop-down list.
  3. Go to:
  • step 7 for mid-cost AT
  • step 9 for low-cost or high-cost AT.
  1. From the PANDA screen, note the following information:
  • At 3 Funding level to be added to the budget, note the amount. This is the amount you need to add to the participant’s budget. If there is more than one item, you need to add the amounts.

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  • At 4 Please type the following information to the comments sections in the plan, note the information. This is the information you need to add in the Additional Description field for the Assistive Technology support category. This will show on the participant’s plan. If there is more than one support, add an Additional Description for each support.
  1. Go to section ‘Add mid-cost AT funding’ in this article.
  2. For low-cost and high-cost AT, the AT Item Budget Tool will give you the benchmark price for reference. To add funding for:
  • High-cost AT, go to article Add or update high-cost assistive technology (AT) in a plan approval case
  • Low-cost AT, go to article Add or update low-cost assistive technology (AT) in a plan approval case.

Add mid-cost AT funding

Add mid-cost AT funding

To add mid-cost AT funding to a draft budget, complete the following PACE steps:

  1. In the Plan Approval case, select the Draft Budget tab.
  2. Select New Support Category.
  3. Enter Assistive Technology into the Support Category field. Note: The support budget will be locked to Capital.
  4. The Budget Type for this support will default to Stated.
  5. Select the Instalment Type. Note: The Frequency and Plan Duration fields will be locked. To change the plan duration, refer to article Change plan duration.
  6. Enter the Amount of this support. Note: For instalment type ‘regular’ this amount is the monthly amount. PACE will calculate the frequency amount and the total plan amount. You may not need to add separate funding if the amount has enough flexible funding for reasonable and necessary supports, for example short term rental.
  7. Record the TSP Variance Reason from the drop-down list.

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  1. Record Additional Description about why this support is needed. Use the following template:

Funding for your with a price range from $xxxx to $xxxx. You must contact your AT advisor to help you choose and set up the right AT for you.

Note: These comments will not display on a participant’s plan. Use these comments to discuss funded supports as part of a plan implementation meeting.

  1. If the support meets all of the NDIS funding criteria under the Justifications heading, select the checkbox.

  2. Record Justification in the free text field. For some supports, this might automatically populate. For more information about recording justifications, refer to article Add budget justifications.

Note: This field has a character limit of 3000. Certain special characters in this field may cause an error, this is generally caused when copying justifications from SAP CRM into PACE. If you see the characters |%, you will need to remove these before you can select save.

Example: The participant lives in a rural area, needs a new shower commode and is going on a holiday. The new shower commode is $4700 and the AT Item Budget Tool determined $5000. The participant’s evidence shows delivery and set up is $350. You will need to add $50 extra funding to the assistive technology support category to cover all reasonable and necessary costs. To do this, refer to article Add or update funding for assistive technology (AT) maintenance, repairs, rentals and trials in a plan approval case to add rental supports.

  1. If you’re using evidence to support your justification, select the Evidence Used checkbox.

  2. Select the Evidence Type from the drop-down list.

  • if the Evidence Type is Document, go to step 13
  • if the Evidence Type is Other, go to step 14.

  1. Enter the Evidence Link name. You can view linked evidence on the Evidence tab of the Plan Approval case. To learn more about linking evidence, refer to article Add and link evidence to a case.

  2. Enter the Evidence Explanation into the free text field.

  3. If you need to add more evidence to support your justification, select the checkbox Add further evidence links and repeat step 12.

  4. Select Save.

Update mid-cost AT funding

To update mid-cost funding in a draft budget, complete the following PACE steps:

  • In the Plan Approval case, select the Draft Budget tab.
  • Select Assistive Technology from the Stated Budget items.
  • The Budget Type for this support will default to Stated.
  • Select the Instalment Type. Note: The Frequency and Plan Duration fields will be locked. To change the plan duration, refer to article Change plan duration.
  • Enter the Amount of this support. Note: For instalment type ‘regular’ this amount is the monthly amount. PACE will calculate the frequency amount and the total plan amount. You may not need to add separate funding if the amount has enough flexible funding for the reasonable and necessary supports, for example short term rental.
  • Record the TSP Variance Reason from the drop-down list.
  • Record Additional Description about why this support is needed. Use the following template: Funding for your with a price range from $xxxx to $xxxx. You must contact your AT advisor to help you choose and set up the right AT for you. Note: These comments will not display on a participants plan. Use these comments to discuss funded supports as part of a plan implementation meeting.
  • If the support meets all of the NDIS funding criteria under the Justifications heading, select the checkbox.
  • Record Justification in the free text field. For some supports, this might automatically populate. For more information about recording justifications, refer to article Add budget justifications. Note: This field has a character limit of 3000. Certain special characters in this field may cause an error, this is generally caused when copying justifications from SAP CRM into PACE. If you see the characters |%, you will need to remove these before you can select save. Example: The participant lives in a rural area and needs a new shower commode. The new shower commode is $4700 and the AT Item Budget Tool determined $5000.

SGP Knowledge Article Template

For Internal Use Only

participant’s evidence shows delivery and set up is $350. You will need to add $50 extra funding to the assistive technology support category to cover all reasonable and necessary costs. To do this, refer to article Add or update funding for assistive technology (AT) maintenance, repairs, rentals and trials in a plan approval case to add rental supports.

  1. If you’re using evidence to support your justification, select the Evidence Used checkbox.

  2. Select the Evidence Type from the drop-down list.

  • if the Evidence Type is Document, go to step 12
  • if the Evidence Type is Other, go to step 13.

  1. Enter the Evidence Link name. You can view linked evidence on the Evidence tab of the Plan Approval case. To learn more about linking evidence, refer to article Link evidence to a case.

  2. Enter the Evidence Explanation into the free text field.

  3. If you need to add more evidence to support your justification, select the checkbox Add further evidence links and repeat step 11.

  4. Select Save.

Remove mid-cost AT funding

To remove mid-cost in a draft budget, complete the following PACE steps:

  1. In the Plan Approval case, select the Draft Budget tab.
  2. Select Assistive Technology from the Stated Budget items.
  3. If removing the support item, navigate to the bottom and select Remove Support from Budget.
  4. Select Yes to Are you sure you want to remove?
  5. Select Save.

Next steps

Check if you need to include the following supports:

  • Repairs, maintenance and short term rental. To do this, refer to article Add or update funding for assistive technology (AT) maintenance, repairs, rentals and trials in a plan approval case.

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  1. Capacity building budget for the AT advisor. To do this, refer to article Add or update capacity building AT supports in a plan approval case.
  2. If you have added or updated mid-cost AT funding, you will need to make a fund management decision. Refer to article Make fund management decision.
  3. If you need to add further supports, refer to article Change the draft budget.
  4. If you are ready for the plan meeting, refer to article Prepare for the plan meeting.

Article topics and case names – internal use only

Topics

This article relates to the following topics:

  • Add: t_assistivetechnology
  • Add: t_createaplan
  • Add: t_planchanges
  • Add: t_reasonableandnecessary

Case names

You can use this guidance for the:

  • Add: case_planapproval
  • Add: case_planchange
  • Add: case_technicaladvice

Version control

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SGP Knowledge Article Template

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Version Amended by Brief Description of Change Status Date
1.1 BTM847 KA transferred to correct template
KA title updated
Aligned to Pace system steps and language
Included system steps for update and remove support.		 DRAFT 2023-08-09
1.2 MSM312 Peer review DRAFT 2023-08-21
1.3 BTM847 Action peer review
Sent for VT
VT results:
Long sentences 6.59%
Passive voice 3.85%
Readability 61/100
Grade level 7		 DRAFT 2023-08-21
1.4 EJW711 EL1 review DRAFT 2023-08-28
1.5 MJB576 Action EL1 feedback
Updates of justification and adding evidence steps per Daniel and Hayley’s steps.		 DRAFT 2023-08-29
1.6 JS0082 EL2 review with comments in relation to PCST DRAFT 2023-08-31
1.7 BTM847 Action EL2 review DRAFT 2023-09-05

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This document is uncontrolled when printed

SGP Knowledge Article Template

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Version Amended by Brief Description of Change Status Date
1.8 BTM847 BIL feedback transferred
BIL feedback actioned
BIL endorsement received
Ready for EL2 approval		 DRAFT 2023-09-22
2.0 JS0082 Class 1 Approval APPROVED 2023-09-25

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