KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Plan management is a service available to NDIS participants who are self-managing their plans or who have chosen to manage their plans through a plan manager.
• The plan manager is responsible for managing the participant’s budget, including paying providers for services and managing invoices.
• Plan management provides an additional level of support and oversight for NDIS participants, ensuring their budget is being managed in a transparent and accountable way.
• Plan management can help to reduce the administrative burden on participants, allowing them to focus on achieving their goals and living their lives.

WHO IS A PLAN MANAGER?

A plan manager controls and minimizes unnecessary spending and makes the participant work with his or her plan and budget. They create more awareness of the variety of providers around.

WHAT IS PLAN MANAGEMENT?

The plan management process controls the financial area of a participant. It focuses on the financial activities (payment of providers, choosing a provider considering the financial capability, funds monitoring), and so on.

This role is very important because if funds are not managed properly, A participant might find it hard to use his or her resources to get the best possible services.

TYPES OF PLAN MANAGEMENT

Under the NDIS plan management, there are three types of plan managers, these are

• • SELF MANAGEMENT

This type of management is done by the NDIS participant. He or she controls the financial sector to satisfy his or her needs. The National Disability Insurance Scheme has also created a guide to help self-managers or aspiring self-managers through the process of self-management

The local area coordinator nurtures plan managers through the process of self-management.

Some of the activities of a self-manager are he or she gets to make decisions on the selection of his or her providers. Payment for services being done is also controlled by them.

Record keeping on how funds are being spent, and working towards budget to meet up with the NDIS standards for funds management is also done by them. Overall they get to control the financial sector of their NDIS plan.

HOW DO I SELF-MANAGE MY PLAN?

Self-managing your plan involves having some financial management skills, and the ability to make decisions independently. Making strategic plans and working with a budget, following the NDIS self-management policy and standards

For more information on self-management, click here https://www.ndis.gov.au/media/1003/download?attachment

• • PLAN MANAGED FUNDING

The NDIS provides funds in a participant’s plan to hire a plan manager to be responsible for the financial management of the participant. The plan manager sees the provision of providers and also the payment of the services being rendered by providers.

Though the participant also has the right to make choices, but a plan manager helps the participant see the risk of making wrong choices and provides options to work with. This type of management helps to ease the tension of getting to make wrong financial decisions and also provides support where necessary.

• • NDIA MANAGED FUNDING

The NDIA funds make available a plan manager who gets paid directly from them. The plan managers are registered directly under the NDIS. They control the records, budget placement, and management of a participant’s finances.

The participant has the right to make decisions and also choices but just gets adequate support and guidance to make the right financial decisions.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PLAN-MANAGED FUNDING AND AN NDIA-MANAGED FUNDING

Only funds are produced for the participant in a plan-managed finance scenario, thus the participant hires a plan manager and pays them using NDIS funding. In the case of NDIS-managed funding, the NDIS is responsible for both the funding and the provision of a plan manager.

For NDIA-managed money, only NDIS plan managers may be employed; however, for plan-managed funds, both registered and unregistered plan managers may be employed.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SELF MANAGED FUNDING AND AN NDIS MANAGED FUNDING

The self-managed funding is independently controlled by the participant. The decision-making process, record-keeping, and payment auditing are solely done by the participant.

The NDIS-managed funding works with the provision of registered plan managers to oversee the management of the participant NDIS funds.

HOW TO CHANGE FROM AN NDIS MANAGED TO A PLAN MANAGED FUNDING

To switch from one plan management to another, contact your local area coordinator or NDIS requesting a desktop review, and state reasons why you need to switch to plan-managed funding. Your request will be processed and if approved, you will be notified.

HOW TO FIND AND CONNECT TO A PLAN MANAGER

Finding a plan manager can be done with the help of your local area coordination. A website directory is also a great way to choose the plan manager that suits you. Mycareplace is a disability website directory that shows a list of plan managers and how to connect to them easily. Click here to find your plan manager

Helpful resources:

• NDIS Plan Management Fact Sheet: https://www.ndis.gov.au/media/2118/download
• NDIS Plan Management Guide: https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/plan-management/plan-management-guide