National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Bill 2024

Submission 278

Hello I would like to express my seriously worrying concerns that the allied health field charge my sister and other NDIS participants. These costs are out of control and are eating the funding that my sister does get. The other concern is that NDIS allows this extortion of charges and this applies to service providers as well both these fields are using participants funding as money tree for themselves. As an example ; before NDIS a pair of custom made shoes for my sister used to cost about $800 a pair since NDIS they now cost around $3000 a pr. Why? They are made the same way as they did before NDIS was paying the bill. A leg brace that my sister needs to wear otherwise she is unable to walk at all, before NDIS used to cost about $1200 , now it can cost anywhere from $ 10,000 to $22,000, Why??? I could buy a car for that much money. It is not the participant that is “wasting” their funding, it is allied health and service providers and indipendant support workers being allowed to charge absolutely outrageous amounts for products and services. NDIS stop attacking the participants, support coordinators and the plan managers they are trying to help participants to navigate this jungle of health workers, they are trying to help us do the best we can with the funding we get. Service providers charges per hour gir support workers is plain extortion, absolutely wasting funding $$$$. I’m home physio before NDIS was about $ 98 per hr since NDIS it has been around $ $295-$395 per Why? Why are they allowed to charge and be paid these outrageous amounts. Why NDIS ? NDIS has done this to all the participants. Because you have had open slather on prices NDIS is allowing these industries to charge whatever figure they come up with and then they pay the bill, this is out of the participates hands. My sister has had to stop valuable physio and neurophysiological appointments because we have run out of funding. To a person with a TBI, trauma brain injury these services have been critical but are out of her reach now because of lack of funding, . Another example of outrageous pricing is her wheel chair, an essential need. Before NDIS about $800-$1000 After NDIS now prices are insane anywhere from $200 to sky is the limit and that’s only a manual wheelchair We have been waiting months for my sisters funding to be reviewed due to changes in her circumstances, her condition is deteriorating and we need more funding to be able to look after her in a safe and fulfilling way of life she h she deserves. My sister needs funding now to be able to be better cared for now before she declines even further. Please reassess how you intend to change the NDIS BILL make sure you look at the tight areas, the participants generally get what is needed for they day to day needs to live their life in a safe environment. It is out of their control when other sources charge outrageous amounts that eat their funding up. Please look at these allied health areas to see what impact they are haiving on a participant s funding don’t punish those already living an unequalled life , they are dealing with enough as it is just getting out of bed is quite an ordeal. I look forward to your response Many thanks Kind regards,