Payment delays for providers under the National Disability Insurance Scheme are threatening their ongoing financial viability after being forced to carry the costs, a national report has said.
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National Disability Services on Monday released its latest State of the Disability Sector report which showed that nearly three-quarters of the 626 NDIS providers surveyed either disagreed or strongly disagreed that the scheme’s systems and processes worked well.
In Tasmania, there are 3879 NDIS approved plans and 1159 registered disability service providers.
The report noted providers in the state struggled with the NDIS’ centralised payment centre which meant the were joining long cues to wait for reimbursement.
The report highlighted an ongoing complaint from those in the sector of the scheme’s inadequate pricing model and that given for travel.
“Given the limited number of allied health professionals in Tasmania, funding the travel of workers continues to be a problem for providers,” it said.
“This issue requires urgent resolution so that people with disability living in regional and remote areas are not disadvantaged.”
The report touched on the state’s housing shortage.
“Shortages of accommodation mean that even those who receive funding for supported living need to join the community housing queue,” it said.
“The state government has committed $20 million to disability housing for Tasmania. Unfortunately, that is projected to be inadequate.”
Transition to the full NDIS is due to be completed by 2020.
