Exclusive Interview with NDIA CEO: Explaining the Changes to the NDIS - Reasonable & Necessary

[@Bluesoulace]

Thank you Dr George 🙏🏻

[@GuardianOz]

There's a big difference to anxiety levels between being able hear the intention behind the NDIS changes Vrs lists on a web page where some might apply and most doesn't. Specifically the comments about substitution supports. I did not know how that area worked when I tried reading it vrs Rebecca's passionate and sincere response. DR George and Rebecca Thanks for this great interview its helped me a lot.

[@SamiGale]

This! Completely agree

[@sundownmcgrath3492]

AGREE COMPLERELY

[@damoneliot]

Great interview as always

[@wilson2455]

just spent 60 minites inputing 7 individual claims into the new NDIS portal. Dates, ABN no's, scanning/uploading copies of each invoice ($5 to $633), company names, services rendered, etc., etc. And the biggest joke is that the Feds/NDIS think that his will curb the rorting !! BTW, where do I send the invoice for my time?

[@raelenepurtill1729]

Participants might not over use their funds if the NDIS listened to participants and funded what they needed.

[@Empoweredwoman1234]

I do hope that general handyman type services for odd jobs and gardening are still covered. I have a guy doing this stuff but he doesn’t do big repairs, plumbing or electrical work as these are not covered. I also hope that the support needs assessment won’t focus on functioning capacity from an occupational therapist view as this seems to be about justifying the type of support needed. Finally, I hope existing participants don’t have to go through the same justifications and access requirements as people who are entering the scheme. It’s insulting to have to answer the same questions as a new participant every time a plan is up for review and explain what you can and cannot do, along with your disability. All we should have to do is state whether or not our disability has changed, and if any other relevant circumstances have changed. All other information should be on the system and can be looked up. Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention that awful use it or your budget will be reduced next time policy that nobody talks about.

[@eforecho]

Pretty much every participant is being reassessed as needing zero core supports. Have already.found out half a dozen plans made zero in a spur of a moment within close circle 😢

[@Empoweredwoman1234]

@@eforecho Sorry I’m not sure what you mean here. Do you mean that participants won’t get assistance with daily tasks like cooking, cleaning, and odd jobs or gardening? Or are you saying that new plans will only have Stated Supports and won’t be able to use funds for anything else even if it’s covered by the scheme and helps with their disability. Also, do you know exactly what the needs assessments will involve? Finally, do you know which disabilities they are most likely to be generous with? I’m legally blind and I’m on the DSP Blind. Thanks.

[@eforecho]

I'm so sorry but I literally mean zero core supports no cleaning cooking AT continence nothing. All zero.

[@Empoweredwoman1234]

@@eforecho So everyone will be taken off the scheme then since they’ll have no supports?

[@eforecho]

Why would a capitalist nation let that happen? 1 in 5 jobs are created from NDIS appears more like a political performance at the moment only time will tell what exactly the 'changes' are in practice

[@miriamadler1710]

Please add subtitles to your videos for those of us who need them.

[@SummerFoundationLtd]

All our podcasts are fully captioned always. Please select the CC option on your screen to turn on the captions

[@MeerKats-WA]

The captions work really well for me! Thank you for the accessibility.

[@mgcguardian]

So every participant will have to be assessed again to find which categories they fit.

[@raelenepurtill1729]

Read through the lists on the website. There seems to be lots of room for interpretation and loop holes even. Can’t see how much is going to change really.

[@arferret]

Hi George, I was wondering in the context of Rebecca suggesting to get in touch with her if we want to provide feedback etc how we can get in contact with Rebecca?

[@SummerFoundationLtd]

Hi, I asked Rebecca's office and they said to email this address [e-mail]

[@gagasbra4026]

It's not anxiety, it's justified concern and fear in the face of relentless abuse, goal post shifting, gaslighting, withholding of life affirming supports and casual eugenics. The fact that Rebecca calls it anxiety is quite ableist and sickening, and shows her lack of understanding and concern.

[@gagasbra4026]

I also have very little confidence that genuine co-design will occur or be heeded when much of what has been shared thus far has been blatantly ignored or treated with obvious infantilisation, indifference or assumed superiority of judgement. The NDIA has failed to tackle provider fraud and has instead chosen to target vulnerable individuals and their families. I don't feel reassured by any of this, if anything, I can see how haphazard and disrespectful their processes are.

[@vickitroman6691]

What i want to know is should my ndis funding pay for my helpers lunch breaks cos thats whats happening

[@rubyvictoria7055]

The NDIS is becoming very clear they are funding ONLY imparements that one is LISTED on the scheme for. Why is the NDIS making it soooo difficult to find out what one is on the scheme for? With mental health challenges, I had very little to do with the initial application, it all being done by supports around me at the time. I have no documentation. I fear whats coming because I dont know what I'm funded for. My disability is integrated with my mental health diagnosis. How do I apply a list? Why are the NDIS waiting to tell participants their impairment notice ? I fear that many are going to come to the functional assessment period and find out they've been funded for one impairment, and not others. Why not tell us as soon as possible ? Its hard enough to get an OT now. Imagine what its going to be like once these imparement notices come out and MUST be challenged because they're wrong. The way I understand it, things will be removed as supports until they can be "added imparements". Thats going to mean loss of support, then OT report, then submission, then probably plan review for funding. Months could go by without supports one needs because the imparement list is incorrect. Is there going to be a grace period to collate reports etc, who's going to pay for those reports because the imparement notice is wrong, and, will finding be pulled until its correct if one is mid plan ? Not looking forward to this at all.

[@eforecho]

Yes Your hunch is absolutely correct

[@mgcguardian]

No mention of addressing the ISW issue.

[@SecretSquirrrrel]

I’m still waiting on Rebecca’s response to my email.

[@eforecho]

I hope you've read your emails Rebecca since this whole thing began and you decide to turn up on screen now? 😢 where have you been when transitional rules were written maybe you would have given this speech to the lawyers youre funding with public money?

[@amandamandamands]

What I want to know with the more flexibility to purchase does the receipt/invoice still have to have an ABN on it. I purchased my glasses from America because that is where I could find the glasses for light sensitivity (I don't know if they exist in Australia but was being told that there is no research to show that they make a difference, which doesn't make sense as they are automatic for someone with albinism, but for some reason it is thought that they are the only people who can have light sensitivity) to find out that I couldn't claim them because no ABN.

[@wilson2455]

just spent 60 minites inputing 7 individual claims into the new NDIS portal. Dates, ABN no's, scanning/uploading copies of each invoice ($5 to $633), company names, services rendered, etc., etc. And the biggest joke is that the Feds/NDIS think that his will curb the rorting !! BTW, where do I send the invoice for my time?

[@mgcguardian]

11 years - that includes3 years of trial period. Theres been at least 3 major reviews in that time. 7 years of running under exactly what she describes - amount of funding and time frame have always been spelt out. Feedback I’m loathe to give having experienced negative kickback from it being shared to a planner who made incorrect assumptions. Cutting funding to the NACBO organisations is not listening to what pwd need and want. These organisations have always been life saving, providing resources, education and personnel to assist pwd to live lives as ordinary as possible.

[@janelleblight68]

I think a lot of these changes were needed. But some wernt. Not sure what they mean buy tellingbus how long our funds last that's always been the case.

[@磁鬼頻率]

NDIA SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEIR ONGOING UNETHICAL CONDUCT TO GATEKEEP ACCESS TO THE SCHEME FOR THOSE IN NEED FOR THE PURPOSES OF CUTTING SPENDING. THESE ARE REAL PEOPLES LIVES YOU ARE DESTROYING.

[@SecretSquirrrrel]

The fact that you have taken psychology support away from my son after 2 years of funding it is absolutely appalling. Who on earth decided that people with serious psychosocial disabilities need support workers more than a psychologist?! We have always done the right thing by the NDIS and this is just a massive kick in the guts and may potentially cost my son his life.

[@sozlovesbugs]

God i hate the idea of an impairment statement. Wtf. As an agency who doesn’t deal with 'medical' they sure are using medical model terminology.

[@topazzz79]

My doctor told me I should quit my job and apply for DSP instead of trying to apply for NDIS. I just need support to be able to keep working 😕. I anticipate a long fight based on what I’ve seen in ndis support groups 😢

[@Perpetual-Paradise]

Try to get your DSP first. As that covers the reason why you cannot work. After that, you might be eligible for NDIS ( if your impairment or disability has proven to be permenant).

[@martinmcnally5030]

With respect, this is not rocket science. The NDIS is a Funding Authority. Assessments should outline Benefits first. This provides participants the opportunity to outline to the NDIS and taxpayer the personal/financial/non financial/economic benefits lthat will be realised from funds spent. For example, I will benefit the taxpayer by developing my participation in the Community rather than spending more time in a mental health ward which is far more costly. Government and taxpayer understand this data, not that you spent $40 billion a year. Measure benefits realised. This will drive the appropriate level of funding for participants and will prevent providers committing fraud. Do you understand?

[@eforecho]

@martinmcnally5030 problem is when benefits realised in terms of $$ spent are in capitalist sense not social sense. That's where from plain investing into disability it becomes a privatised mess with actual pwd still at same functionality and capacity whilst the system feeds the moneymakers

[@mgcguardian]

It would be beneficial for public to hear how the funding goes around. 1/3 of funding paid to anyone for direct support goes straight back to ATO in tax. Then every other purchase pays a portion to a person who pays tax (likely another 1/3) and other costs that have other taxes applied. At least 2/3 goes straight back to the revenue pool. Meantime it enables people who receive some of this funding through employment, goods or services are able to feed families, pay bills and afford accomodation and transport. It’s an economic stimulus incentive that brings better lives to more than just pwd. Theres so many more pwd who also can do things to have better lives therefore reducing strain on health services, community services etc and also enables more to earn more personal income - contributing to community and tax revenue.