NDIS in chaos over technology glitches

The $22bn NDIS is in disarray after a technology bungle has led to some providers being unpaid for almost two months.

The NDIS packages can be simple affairs or they can be vast and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The landmark $22 billion National Disability Insurance Scheme is in disarray after a technology ­bungle led to some providers being unpaid for almost two months and only a handful of support packages finished since July 1.

The system has broken down at the busiest point in the scheme’s history, with the start of the month marking the period in which it must start assessing and approving individual plans for 430,000 people over the next three years.

The planning process is the core function of the NDIS agency, as it must meet and settle on a “reasonable and necessary” ­support package for every person.

Packages can be simple affairs — a person might need a wheelchair — or they can be vast and cost hundreds of thousands of ­dollars.

The agency delivering the NDIS says it has finalised “hundreds” of these plans since July 1 but in order to reach the finish line on time and on budget the agency needs to approve 392 plans every single day.

The agency had originally hoped a new online portal for ­service providers such as thera­pists and support workers would be fixed three weeks ago but some have still not been paid for more than six weeks.

The portal acts as a conduit ­between clients and providers. Most people in the NDIS choose to have their plans and money managed by the agency, which means providers are paid by the agency, not its participants.

“Since 1 July, one month into a three-year transition, the National Disability Insurance Agency has delivered more than $26 million in payments to providers and self-managed participants, introduced around 4000 people into the NDIS planning process and ­finalised hundreds of plan reviews and approvals,” a spokeswoman said.

“Suggestions that the NDIA does not have sufficient resources to successfully implement the transition and is not approving plans are incorrect. Payments continue to be available to providers experiencing financial impact due to transition. As such, there’s no reason why providers should be without payment during the transition period.”

But The Australian has spoken with providers who have tried to override the website with manual emergency payments and who have still not received a cent.

“I have tried three times now and I still have no money coming in; it is a complete disaster,” said one woman, who did not wish to be named.

“They keep saying my request has been escalated and nothing has happened.”

Assistant Minister for Disabil­ity Services Jane Prentice, now ­responsible for managing the ­operational side of the NDIS, did not respond to a request for comment. She is receiving a ministerial briefing today.

The agency posted a statement online last night confirming the ongoing issue.

“The NDIA has and continues to acknowledge that during this major transition there have been some issues relating to data ­migration from the old to new platform,” the statement says.

“These issues have impacted on payment requests being able to be successfully processed within the new NDIS myplace portal.

“Throughout July a range of these issues have been progressively fixed, resulting in the prog­ression of individual claims.”

South Australian Dignity for Disability MP Kelly Vincent said people continued to be “left in ­crisis”.

“I have been told that not only external users are having a hell of a time with the new computer ­system, but it seems staff can’t ­approve plans following the ­recently implemented IT chang­es,” she said.

“I am also getting calls from families that have now been abandoned by service providers ­because those providers haven’t been paid for six weeks.’’

A sector worker, who did not wish to be named, called for cooler heads. “It’s week three in a long rollout, there were always going to be teething problems. The sky is not falling in,” she said.