On Monday, June 30, Dr Haines met with NDIS providers – including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dieticians, speech pathologists and support coordinators – who expressed serious concerns about controversial changes to NDIS pricing, which came into effect on July 1.
The changes, which include a freeze or reduction in price caps and travel costs, could make it unviable for providers to continue delivering services in areas which Dr Haines says are already stretched.
"Multiple providers in Indi are concerned that recent pricing changes for travel will have a particular impact on regional and rural communities,” Dr Haines said.
“Part of best practice for physios, occupational therapists and other allied health services is to visit NDIS participants in their homes – upholding participant choice, for comfort and to ultimately ensure their service is making a positive difference.
“However, the recent pricing changes announced by the NDIS risk the sustainability of these home-based services and put them at severe risk of closing.
“Providers are telling me that travelling outside Wangaratta or Wodonga will be financially unviable for them – meaning people in smaller regional communities will suffer.”
Dr Haines said the government was taking a cookie-cutter approach to pricing that failed to reflect the reality of delivering services in regional areas.
“It appears these changes apply the same rules for travel to both metropolitan and regional areas – when we know that service availability is not the same,” she said.
“I heard from one of the two paediatric dieticians in the region, who is worried these changes may mean children on PEG feeding miss out on feeds or assessments because she can no longer afford to travel to them.
“This is completely unacceptable.”
In addition to the travel pricing changes, Dr Haines heard from providers - particularly, support coordinators - that a price cap on top of a five-year pricing freeze may force their closure if they cannot keep up with operational costs like wages, rent, compliance and insurance.
Dr Haines said any closure of support coordinators will have negative knock-on effects for the specialised services that require complex coordination.
Prior to the changes coming into effect, Dr Haines wrote to the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Senator Jenny McAllister, about her concerns over the pricing changes and requested a meeting to discuss the issues.
In that letter, Dr Haines urged the Government to pause the commencement of the pricing changes and undertake consultation with NDIS providers.
Dr Haines said she would push for changes when Federal Parliament resumes on July 22.
