Major NDIS shake-up could have catastrophic impact for regional patients

Changes to how much allied health professionals can charge under the NDIS could wipe-out small operators in regional areas, with catastrophic consequences for those who rely on the services

NDIS patients who live in regional areas could be impacted significantly.

Disability care for Australians outside capital cities is at risk amid a major shake-up in NDIS funding, with providers warning their ability to keep operating was under threat.

The maximum price allied health professionals like physiotherapists, speech pathologists and podiatrists can charge NDIS participants will be frozen or slashed from July 1, in the most significant effort to curb costs of the $50bn a year scheme since major reforms were passed last year.

Allied health peak bodies have joined forces in a bid to have the NDIS pricing changes overturned, warning it would become financially unsustainable for many providers to continue delivering complex, high-quality support participants rely on.

Smaller providers, particularly independent businesses located in regional and remote parts of the country, warned they are at biggest risk of financially collapsing.

And the knock-on effect for regional and remote Australians who rely on those services could be catastrophic.

Sunshine Coast speech pathologist Helen Dimond said cutting the travel rate in half meant small practices like hers were effectively losing money by leaving the office.

It’s a sentiment shared by Emily Hayles, an independent physiotherapist in Mackay, who said early intervention guidelines recommended support should be delivered in a child’s natural environment – a service which can’t happen if providers can’t travel.

A collection of eight allied health peak bodies, including Speech Pathology Australia and Dietitians Australia, has called for the NDIA to immediately halt and review the price changes. But a spokesman for the NDIA said it was important NDIS participants were paying prices that were fair and in line with industry standards.

The spokesman also defended the pricing review, saying it was informed by data covering more than 10 million transactions, with benchmarking against Medicare, private health insurance and government schemes.

They also said participants had told them excessive travel claims from therapists were draining their NDIS plans faster than expected.

Health Minister Mark Butler, who has carriage of the NDIS, was contacted for comment.

Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie confirmed she had written to Mr Butler and called for him not to accept the pricing changes set to come into effect on July 1.

“If occupational therapists and other allied health professionals can’t claim for the whole of their travel they simply won’t go, and who can blame them?” she said.

Originally published as Major NDIS shake-up could have catastrophic impact for regional patients