Submission: NDIS Cost & Affordability

Submission 2 to the NDIS Review responding to

The role of pricing and payment approaches in improving participant outcomes and scheme sustainability Paper

The Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), The Hon Bill Shorten MP, announced an independent review of the NDIS (the Review) on 18 October 2022. The review examines the design, operations and sustainability of the NDIS, and NDIS workforce capability and capacity.

People with Disability Australia (PWDA) welcomes the Review and welcomes this opportunity to comment.

This submission is a response to NDIS Review paper released in May 2023: The role of pricing and payment approaches in improving participant outcomes and scheme sustainability. It will respond to each of the findings:[1]

  • Finding 1: There are opportunities to improve NDIS pricing arrangements over the short- to medium-term.
  • Finding 2: The fee-for-service payment approach rewards NDIS providers for the volume of supports they deliver, rather than for supporting participants to achieve outcomes.
  • Finding 3: A lack of transparency around prices, volume, quality and outcomes is restricting the effectiveness of NDIS service delivery.
  • Finding 4: Removing price caps could place pressure on scheme costs. Instead, the focus should be on foundational market reforms that help align incentives for participants, providers, and governments.

Read our full submission here: PDF | Word


[1] NDIS Review (2023). The role of pricing and payment approaches in improving participant outcomes and scheme sustainability, accessed 24 July 2023

/Public Release. View in full here.