Understanding your plan
Plan-managed, self-managed, NDIA-managed: what the difference means for you
Three words that decide who pays your invoices, and not much else. Here is what each one means in practice, and how to find out which one you have.
When people ring us for the first time, this is the question that causes the most worry. It sounds technical, and it is not. How your plan is managed only decides who pays the invoices. It does not change what supports you are funded for.
There are three ways, and you may have a mix of them in the same plan.
Plan-managed
A plan manager is a separate business that the NDIS pays for. They receive the invoice from your provider, pay it out of your plan, and keep the records. You do not handle money, and you do not fill in claim forms.
Most families we work with are plan-managed. It is the option with the least paperwork for you, and it lets you use providers who are not registered with the NDIS, as well as ones who are.
Self-managed
You pay your providers yourself, then claim the money back from the NDIS through the myplace portal. You keep the invoices and receipts.
Self-managing gives you the most choice and the most control over price. It also gives you the most admin. Some people love it. Some people have a family member who does it for them. There is no wrong answer here.
NDIA-managed
Sometimes called agency-managed. The NDIA pays your providers directly. The catch is that you can only use providers who are registered with the NDIS Commission.
KN Care Plus is a registered provider, so we can work with you under any of the three.
How to find out which one you have
- Look at your plan document. It is written in the section about how your funding is managed, usually near the front.
- Log in to the myplace participant portal and check your plan there.
- Ask your support coordinator or local area coordinator. This is exactly the sort of thing they are there for.
- Ask us. If you tell us who your plan manager is, we can confirm it when we send the first invoice.
Can you change it?
Yes. You can ask the NDIA to change how your plan is managed, usually at a plan reassessment, and sometimes in between if your situation changes. If you are finding the paperwork hard, say so. Nobody gets a medal for struggling through it.
You do not need to understand the whole system before you ring us. You only need to know what you are finding hard.
We have sat at kitchen tables with people who had been carrying a plan around in a plastic sleeve for months, worried they were doing it wrong. Bring the plan. We will read it with you.
General information only. For advice about your own plan, talk to your planner, your support coordinator, or ring us on 0435 785 828.
