NDIS

ClubMates Travel is always looking to the future when organising supported holidays and with the release of the NDIS funding, ClubMates Travel agents have been trained to provide the perfect assisted holiday which can utilise NDIS funding where possible. The Managing Director of ClubMates, Peter Negri, has been meeting with other providers, plan managers, support coordinators, non-government organisations and his own staff to ensure the supports we claim are fair and legal.

With the NDIS now firmly in the sector and many people with plans we have seen a vast number of changes, the changes are mostly positive, and the passengers are now becoming more astute on how to utilise funding to enhance their lives and in particular, when it comes to ndis holiday packages.

NDIS Plan Tips

ClubMates has been encouraging people when developing their NDIS plan to utilise the servicers of a planner or support coordinator. Planners and Support Coordinators make the process easier once the plan is implemented and less stressful in knowing how to access the funding from the plan. Plan Managers also make the process much easier to access the money within the participant’s plan.

There are several ways to access the funds in the plan:

• Agency Managed where the NDIS administers the money and all services must be provided from a NDIA registered provider.
• Plan Management allows the flexibility to use non-NDIS registered providers but can be risky if the person or company has not got good policies and procedures in place.
• Self-administer the plan; this means you access the portal independently and pay all the providers yourself via the NDIA Portal.

Plans change over time and each time you do a review ensures the plan fits with your lifestyle and goals. Each year, you should expect to see changes and improvements to your plan. The NDIS is a scheme that is developing constantly and with all the participants and providers giving feedback to the NDIA, we hope that the scheme will empower people with a disability who want to enjoy a supported holiday to fulfil their dreams and goals.

Easy to understand NDIS Terminology

LAC – Local Area Coordinator

These people work with participants to set up a plan for the coming 12-24 months. Then, they send the plan for final approval to the NDIA. It is vitally important you have all the details of your plan organised before meeting with the LAC.

NDIA – National disability Insurance Agency

This is the name of the organisation that runs the NDIS.

NDIS – National Disability Insurance Scheme

This is the name of the insurance system that is in operation, and at times is confused with the agency that administers it.

Agency Managed

The participant decides to allow the NDIA or the agency to manage the money for them rather than self-managing or using a Plan Manager.

Self-Managed

Self-managing your Plan means you manage the financial areas of the plan such as budgeting and claiming money through the portal to pay service providers.

Plan Managers

Plan managers are financial bodies, both private and not for profit, who claim money from the NDIS to pay for all the various NDIS-approved areas of a participant’s life from the plan.

Support Coordinator – Coordinator of Supports

Both these job roles are very similar. Support Coordinators have a higher education and therefore should be more skilled; Coordinators of Supports do the same role but at a cheaper rate. They both work for the participant assisting to find services to assist with using the plan and ensuring the money is utilised correctly.

Provider

A provider is an NDIS-approved company or disability service that provides product or services that can be claimed from the NDIS.

Participant

When asking for a package from the NDIS you become a participant in the scheme, therefore allowing you to get a plan.

The Plan

This is a name identifying the agreement between the participant and the NDIA and it details what money is allocated to what area of the person’s life.

The Portal

The Portal is the electronic system that allows the participant, provider and NDIA to communicate. It also allows all parties to enter service bookings and claim money from the NDIS. The participant, provider or Plan Manager needs to log into the portal and enter a service booking and then once the service is rendered the provider can log back into the portal and claim the outstanding money.

Service bookings

This is an agreement between the participant and the provider detailing what service is to be delivered and when.

NDIS Frequently Asked Questions

When passengers/participants call our office, these are the most frequent questions asked. ClubMates staff are always happy to answer any questions and explain how the new NDIS system works in conjunction with your dream supported holiday. And if we don’t know the answer, we will speak to someone who knows.