National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1368
SUBMISSION TO THE NATIONAL DISABILITY INSURANCE SCHEME AMENDMENT (SECURING THE NDIS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS) BILL 2026
I am writing as the Executive Director of an organisation that provides plan management and direct support services and therefore our organisation will be directly affected by this Bill.
Executive Summary - 3.2.2 Option 2 - Plan management panel
“Under this option, the plan management services market would be consolidated from around 1,400 active plan managers, to a significantly smaller panel of management providers.”
The use of the word significantly intimates that it is not only the unscrupulous providers that will not be part of the panel but some of the good and honest ones too. I believe that providers should not be excluded, or included, due to size, location or for the type of service that they offer. We know that participants currently choose us because of one, or all the following reasons.
We can offer them consistency with the person they speak to when they have questions.
This is important to our participants because they don’t have to repeat any background information when they contact us which makes the discussion between participant and employee more personalised, quicker and easier to resolve whatever the issue is.
We pick up the calls when people ring, so they do not have to leave a message on an answerphone or wait in a call queue.
This is important to our participants because they can be anxious and/or confused and waiting in a call queue or wondering when someone will call back could heighten that anxiety.
We are a local provider.
This is important to some of our participants because some people still prefer a face to face service and they are able to come to the office to discuss any questions they have, drop off receipts for reimbursement or bring in a copy of their new plan or signed documentation if they do not have access to, or do not wish to use, electronic communication.
We are a non-profit provider.
This is important to some of our participants because they know that any surplus funds that we make will be used to help people with disability and not to fund shareholders.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1368
“Under this option, the majority of plan management providers would be expected to exit the plan management market. Many plan management providers would continue to deliver other disability services.”
In relation to the second sentence above, this may not necessarily be the case. Some organisations provide multiple services alongside plan management and may do so to remain viable. If plan management is the most viable service then the closure of that service, either because an application to be on the panel is unsuccessful, or because it is successful and the plan management service must break away from the rest of the business, then this could lead to closure of the rest of the business. This would create a situation where, if the plan management application had been unsuccessful all participants for that organisation would lose either their current plan management of direct supports, or both.
Current employees may also see this as an opportunity to set up an ABN and offer the continuation of services to participants as a sole trader thereby increasing the market of non- registered providers.
Of course there will be organisations delivering multiple NDIA services, including plan management, that could remain viable as separate organisations. This could mean time spent in changing the company structure and seeing the plan management service, if successful on the panel, being delivered as a new entity. In these cases, consideration should be given to the time allowed for the business to re-structure and establish a new company in order to “divest of other related entities that provide other supports under NDIS” {Part 6 – Registered Plan Management Providers – Notes on clauses – Subitem (3).} In this scenario, consideration should also be given to the transfer of the NDIS plan management registration from the old to the new entity.
Transition of participants in PACE
Consideration should be made in relation to the increased number of participants who will need to contact the NDIA to endorse their new plan manager during the transition period.
Is there capability in PACE to transition participants in bulk? This would create an easier pathway for participants if, on receipt of a signed service agreement and consent from participants, the receiving plan manager could provide a list of people who endorse them as their new plan manager. If the plan manager is on the selected panel they should be a trusted provider to allow them to do this.