New limits on provider travel will disproportionately impact rural and remote Australians as a result of NDIS Pricing Arrangements set to come into effect from 1 July 2025. The changes could force many therapy providers located in rural and remote Australia to consider withdrawing services from small rural communities.

Cath Maloney, CEO of Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health (SARRAH) said “If these changes go ahead, allied health professionals could be placed in the untenable position of declining therapy supports to participants whose location or mobility challenges make clinic-based service delivery difficult. Not only does this limit NDIS participants' choice and control, but it is also discriminatory.”

The new pricing arrangements have been imposed despite findings from the NDIS Review identifying ongoing issues for participants attempting to access allied health supports in regional and rural parts of Australia. The review found that over 33 per cent of participants who have been in the scheme for at least one year are not accessing any therapy supports in small and medium rural towns, despite having funding for these supports.

Ms Maloney said “SARRAH members based in central Queensland, northern Queenland, central west NSW, southern NSW, Victoria and South Australia are all indicating that the new travel pricing arrangements will place strain on provider budgets, and could lead to withdrawal of services in small rural and remote communities. Participants with complex mobility or cognitive challenges in rural and remote locations may be faced with having to travel considerable distances to access therapy supports from the provider’s clinic. This is not in keeping with best practice. Some participants may not be able to access therapy supports at all.”

The 2023 NDIS Review recommended the NDIA should progressively roll out provider panel arrangements for allied health supports in small and medium rural towns or where participants face persistent supply gaps. “To our members' knowledge, these arrangements are yet to be implemented”, said Ms Maloney. “Introducing new provider travel requirements without a backup plan is premature and potentially harmful to NDIS participants.”

“To our knowledge, the NDIA has not consulted with providers prior to introducing these significant changes, and only given them a few weeks to make adjustments. This is unreasonable,” Ms Maloney said. “We have requested an urgent meeting with Senator Jenny McAllister seeking a delay to the new pricing arrangements so that a review can be undertaken to assess the real impact on rural and remote communities.”

SARRAH is calling on Senator McAllister, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and the NDIA to:

• Delay implementing the new pricing schedule;
• Undertake a formal review of the potential impact of travel pricing arrangements that includes genuine engagement with providers operating in rural and remote locations; and
• Provide an update on actions taken in response to the NDIS Review completed in December 2023.

Please direct interviews and media enquiries to:

Catherine Maloney, Chief Executive Officer

Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health

[email protected] 0491 209 291