Navigating the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) can feel overwhelming for newcomers. Fortunately, plenty of assistance is out there to help manage your NDIS funding and supports. NDIS plan managers work closely with you, your medical professionals and external service providers to ease the burden of getting the support you need.
The role of plan managers is to alleviate the stressful aspects of the NDIS while ensuring people living with disabilities get the right support. However, when working with a plan manager, you’re still in total control of the decision-making. Your plan manager, like a support worker, works with you to provide the tailored assistance you require.
What is NDIS plan management?
There are multiple ways to manage your NDIS plan, and it all depends on your preference. Self-managed NDIS plans are those that you manage for yourself. Alternatively, the National Disability Insurance Agency administers agency-managed plans on your behalf. However, the other option is to use a plan manager.
In this context, plan management refers to your NDIS provider managing your plan. Many providers are also NDIS plan managers, so they can take care of administrative matters for you. Plan managers assist with financial management, such as paying support services, and they also liaise with other providers and your support coordinator.
Rather than limiting your service provider options, plan managers have an in-depth knowledge of what’s available in your area. As such, plan management gives people more options and greater control over their lives.
What do NDIS plan managers do?
An NDIS plan manager’s role is varied, and very personalised depending on the level of support a person needs. Many people living with disabilities want to be heavily involved in some aspects of plan management but not necessarily others. Everybody’s situation is unique, so a plan manager’s service should always be tailored to the individual.
Below are examples of the assistance a plan manager can provide.
Assistance with budgeting
As an NDIS participant, you receive certain amounts of funding based on your needs. NDIS plan managers can provide tailored assistance with budgeting to ensure you always have funds available for the supports you need.
Your plan manager discusses each of your support needs, helping you find, secure and budget for the applicable services. You can be as involved in this process as you want to be, and your plan manager also helps you with regular budget updates.
Paying support providers
Regardless of how much involvement a person wants in support decision-making, they may not necessarily want to do the associated admin tasks. If that’s the case, a plan manager can handle a range of financial administration tasks, such as paying invoices. This ensures all NDIS stakeholders receive prompt payment, and participants don’t have the burden of managing multiple payments each month. Of course, many people living with disabilities are more than capable and eager to manage their own finances, which a plan manager will also support.
Guidance on NDIS processes
Overall, the NDIS can be complex to understand, and plan managers help to make sense of it all. They can help to explain the system in a way you understand, and, therefore, get you more involved in the decision-making and management of your plan.
In fact, many NDIS participants start with a plan manager who helps them learn the plan management process for themselves. In time, many people moved to self-management as a result of this education.
Support negotiations
Importantly, NDIS plan managers are knowledgeable and may notice things that participants don’t. For example, if your plan manager feels you’re being overcharged for a service, they can negotiate with the provider on your behalf. They can also liaise with new providers to ensure a clear understanding of costs.
Overall, NDIS plan managers are there to support your needs. Whatever level of assistance you need, a plan manager provides it. Ultimately, the aim is to get more out of your NDIS funding and plan managers are the experts in this area.
