Plan Management Explained

NDIS funding can be agency managed, managed by a registered plan manager, or self managed, and participants can use a mix. This lesson compares the three options: who pays providers, who keeps the financial records, which providers can be used and which price rules apply. Key points: with agency managed funding the agency pays registered providers directly, with plan managed funding a registered plan manager pays providers for the participant, with self managed funding the participant or their nominee pays providers, and whatever the option, funding must be used for NDIS supports in line with the plan.

A plan manager is a registered NDIS provider funded in the participant's plan to handle the financial side of their supports. This lesson explains what plan managers do, including paying providers, keeping records, tracking budgets and giving regular statements, and what they do not do, such as choosing providers, delivering supports or deciding what the NDIS will fund. Key points: plan managers are registered providers, must check prices are within limits, must be recorded as a my provider for PACE plans, and are different from support coordinators. Changes from October 2027 will create a government approved panel of plan management providers.

One reason participants choose plan management is flexibility in which providers they can use. This lesson explains how plan managed participants can generally use both registered and unregistered providers, the supports that can only be bought from registered providers, and what this means for us as a provider. Key points: agency managed funding can only be used with registered providers, plan managed funding can generally be used with registered or unregistered providers, some supports must be delivered by registered providers, maximum prices apply to plan managed funding whoever delivers the support, and registration requirements are expanding over coming years.

Plan managers can only pay us when they receive an accurate, complete invoice. This lesson explains what a good invoice includes, how payment flows from the agency through the plan manager to us, and why timing matters more than ever. Key points: include our ABN, the participant's name and NDIS number, the dates of support, the support item, quantity, price and GST, one participant per invoice, invoice promptly after delivery, and remember that from 1 December 2026 claims must be made within 90 days of delivery. Incorrect invoices delay payment and can affect the participant's funding.

Plan managers, providers and participants all share the goal of supports being delivered and paid for correctly. This lesson explains how our staff should work with plan managers day to day: answering queries promptly, sharing only the information needed, flagging budget concerns, and resolving disputes respectfully. Key points: plan managers act for the participant, not for us, respond to their queries quickly and accurately, share personal information only as the participant has consented to and as needed for payment, and involve the participant when there is a problem with an invoice or funding.

This lesson works through common situations our staff face with plan managed participants, such as a participant running low on funds, an invoice rejected for being over the price limit, a participant asking staff to invoice differently, and a participant unsure who their plan manager is. Key points: never change an invoice to make it payable when the support was different, never charge a different price because someone is plan managed, direct budget questions to the participant's plan manager or support coordinator, and ask your team leader when you are unsure. The lesson ends with a course summary and your final assessment.

This case study follows Priya, a plan managed participant whose plan manager rejects three of our invoices in one week. The lesson walks through what the plan manager found, how our finance officer responds, and how the errors are fixed and prevented. It shows why plan manager queries protect the participant, why invoices must match what was delivered, and why we keep the participant informed when something goes wrong. Key points: treat queries as a normal check, fix errors quickly with accurate records, never relabel supports to make them payable, and look for the cause so it does not happen again.

This case study follows Samuel, a plan managed participant whose support needs increase after a hospital stay. His plan manager's statement shows his budget for the current funding period is being used faster than planned, and he is worried. The lesson shows how his support worker listens, passes the concern on, and how our team works with Samuel, his support coordinator and his plan manager to find a legitimate way forward. Key points: do not stop supports without a plan, never promise what you cannot control, involve the right people early, and keep Samuel in charge of decisions about his own funding.