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Plan Mangers refusing to create Service Bookings

  • 1.  Plan Mangers refusing to create Service Bookings

    Posted 18-04-2023 09:08

    We have started to have an number of plan managers refusing to 'quarantine' funding against our Service Agreements. That is, we send off the SA for 10 sessions, and we get responses like

     

    " XXXXY have a policy that we do not reserve specified funding for a provider ensuring the participants flexibility and choice and control to use their funding as they see appropriate with any service provider.

     

    At our discretion XXXXY will send out 'Low Funding' alerts ensuring the participant (or their representative) keeps the provider informed in a timely manner of their capacity for payment for services they have agreed to in a Service Agreement or Schedule of Services."

     

    Then we have the issue of " the participant has completed their funding allocation and have no funds remaining to pay for your service. Please take this matter to the NDIS " who do nothing but tell us that this is the plan manager responsibility to manage a child/ persons funding and we go without payment.

     

    The PM argument makes no sense to me regarding choice and control as the participant  are exercising that right by choosing to access X number of  sessions from a provider.

     

    Anyone else have this issue or suggestions as to who to take this to ?

     

    Fiona

     

    Sent from Mail for Windows

     

     
    Fiona Phipps
    Family Partner Navigator
    Full‑Time

    T02 8966 8539
    M0422 411 613
    Efionap@royalfarwest.org.au
    W royalfarwest.org.au
    14‑18 Wentworth St, Manly 2095
    PO Box 52, Manly NSW 1655
    Royal Far West
    Royal Far West acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and the ongoing and important wisdom shared through their continued connection with the land, waters and community. We respectfully recognise the Elders of the past and present, and walk with the children who will become future Elders.

    The communication and any attachments may contain confidential and/or legally privileged information intended for the addressee only. If you have received this communication in error you must not read, copy, use or share it. Please notify the sender immediately by phone or email or contact Royal Far West on (02) 8622 6832 and then fully delete all communications, emails and attachments. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
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  • 2.  RE: Plan Mangers refusing to create Service Bookings

    Posted 18-04-2023 12:32

    Hi Fiona,

    Thank you for your post.

    I have reached out to my NDS colleagues, who are experts in the field and here is their feedback:

    This is an issue that we are hearing a bit more about these days. There is a responsibility of the Plan Manager to ensure that funds are expended in line with the person's plan and the plan is being implemented as intended.

    It could be reasonable to consider that where a participant has indicated their acceptance of the 10 sessions as part of their supports in the current plan then the plan manager should be expected to ensure that sufficient funds are available for this to be completed.

    Although the participant is able to change how they spend their funds, by exercising choice and control, the Plan Manager should be considering the spending of the participant to ensure that the participants funds are sufficient to cover any future commitments. It would be prudent for the Plan Manager to communicate with the participant to highlight that they are at risk of having insufficient funds and to determine if they no longer need the service that has been previously agreed to in the service agreement. Simply sending out an alert to a participant may not be sufficient to demonstrate how they are exercising their obligation to ensure funds are spent in line with the plan as intended.

    The attachment may be of assistance.

    https://www.ndis.gov.au/media/2693/download?attachment  

    particularly p16, 4.4.2

    I'd also recommend that, given that pre-payment is not possible, it is important that providers invoice clients promptly after a service is delivered to minimise any risk of insufficient funds to pay invoices.

    It does mean that the provider may need to adjust how they set up their service agreements if a plan manager is not prepared to manage the participant's funds in line with a service agreement that specifies 10 sessions for example. It would also be interesting to have a chat with the plan manager or check their processes for ensuring that participants have the fund available in line with service requests/agreements that they are making with providers.

    Does anyone have anything to add? Please join this conversation. 


    Best regards,
    Mary



    ------------------------------
    Mary Kubalova
    Community Manager
    NDS Communities
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: Plan Mangers refusing to create Service Bookings

    Posted 18-04-2023 15:59

    Thank you so much for seeking out that information Mary – that is so useful and we do invoice as soon as session is completed. Our great difficulty is that as a rural and remote provider we can't swipe a debit /credit card at the conclusion of the session so are at the mercy of people receiving their invoice and then authorising payment ( a separate and much larger issue) Any thoughts on that ?

    Fiona

     

     

     
    Fiona Phipps
    Family Partner Navigator
    Full‑Time

    T02 8966 8539
    M0422 411 613
    Efionap@royalfarwest.org.au
    W royalfarwest.org.au
    14‑18 Wentworth St, Manly 2095
    PO Box 52, Manly NSW 1655
    Royal Far West
    Royal Far West acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and the ongoing and important wisdom shared through their continued connection with the land, waters and community. We respectfully recognise the Elders of the past and present, and walk with the children who will become future Elders.

    The communication and any attachments may contain confidential and/or legally privileged information intended for the addressee only. If you have received this communication in error you must not read, copy, use or share it. Please notify the sender immediately by phone or email or contact Royal Far West on (02) 8622 6832 and then fully delete all communications, emails and attachments. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
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    Re: Plan Mangers refusing to create Service Bookings

    Mary Kubalova

    Apr 18, 2023 12:32 PM

    Mary Kubalova

    Hi Fiona,

     

    Thank you for your post.

    I have reached out to my NDS colleagues, who are experts in the field and here is their feedback:

     

    This is an issue that we are hearing a bit more about these days. There is a responsibility of the Plan Manager to ensure that funds are expended in line with the person's plan and the plan is being implemented as intended.

    It could be reasonable to consider that where a participant has indicated their acceptance of the 10 sessions as part of their supports in the current plan then the plan manager should be expected to ensure that sufficient funds are available for this to be completed.

    Although the participant is able to change how they spend their funds, by exercising choice and control, the Plan Manager should be considering the spending of the participant to ensure that the participants funds are sufficient to cover any future commitments. It would be prudent for the Plan Manager to communicate with the participant to highlight that they are at risk of having insufficient funds and to determine if they no longer need the service that has been previously agreed to in the service agreement. Simply sending out an alert to a participant may not be sufficient to demonstrate how they are exercising their obligation to ensure funds are spent in line with the plan as intended.

     

    The attachment may be of assistance.

    www.ndis.gov.au/media/2693/download?attachment  

    particularly p16, 4.4.2

     

    I'd also recommend that, given that pre-payment is not possible, it is important that providers invoice clients promptly after a service is delivered to minimise any risk of insufficient funds to pay invoices.

     

    It does mean that the provider may need to adjust how they set up their service agreements if a plan manager is not prepared to manage the participant's funds in line with a service agreement that specifies 10 sessions for example. It would also be interesting to have a chat with the plan manager or check their processes for ensuring that participants have the fund available in line with service requests/agreements that they are making with providers.

    Does anyone have anything to add? Please join this conversation. 


    Best regards,
    Mary



    ------------------------------
    Mary Kubalova
    Community Manager
    NDS Communities
    ------------------------------

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    Original Message

    We have started to have an number of plan managers refusing to 'quarantine' funding against our Service Agreements. That is, we send off the SA for 10 sessions, and we get responses like

     

    " XXXXY have a policy that we do not reserve specified funding for a provider ensuring the participants flexibility and choice and control to use their funding as they see appropriate with any service provider.

     

    At our discretion XXXXY will send out 'Low Funding' alerts ensuring the participant (or their representative) keeps the provider informed in a timely manner of their capacity for payment for services they have agreed to in a Service Agreement or Schedule of Services."

     

    Then we have the issue of " the participant has completed their funding allocation and have no funds remaining to pay for your service. Please take this matter to the NDIS " who do nothing but tell us that this is the plan manager responsibility to manage a child/ persons funding and we go without payment.

     

    The PM argument makes no sense to me regarding choice and control as the participant  are exercising that right by choosing to access X number of  sessions from a provider.

     

    Anyone else have this issue or suggestions as to who to take this to ?

     

    Fiona

     

    Sent from Mail for Windows

     

     

    Fiona Phipps

    Family Partner Navigator

    Full‑Time

    T

    02 8966 8539

    M

    0422 411 613

    E

    fionap@royalfarwest.org.au

    W 

    royalfarwest.org.au

    14‑18 Wentworth St, Manly 2095
    PO Box 52, Manly NSW 1655

    Royal Far West

    Royal Far West acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and the ongoing and important wisdom shared through their continued connection with the land, waters and community. We respectfully recognise the Elders of the past and present, and walk with the children who will become future Elders.

    The communication and any attachments may contain confidential and/or legally privileged information intended for the addressee only. If you have received this communication in error you must not read, copy, use or share it. Please notify the sender immediately by phone or email or contact Royal Far West on (02) 8622 6832 and then fully delete all communications, emails and attachments. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

    Facebook

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  • 4.  RE: Plan Mangers refusing to create Service Bookings

    Posted 19-04-2023 09:47

    This is where all Service Providers need to stop providing services to participants who use these PMs which will bring the issue to account.



    ------------------------------
    Mark Kulinski
    ------------------------------



  • 5.  RE: Plan Mangers refusing to create Service Bookings

    Posted 20-04-2023 09:50

    Hi Fiona,

     

    It is 100% the plan managers responsibility to pay your invoice. Send them a copy of the service agreement and records of the service occurring,  The participant DID agree to the services - as per your service agreement AND verbal agreement when they accepted the service by opening the door ,letting the worker/carer in and letting the service occur.   Refer the PM to the "NDIS Guide to Plan Management " and in your email/letter to them, highlight an excerpt from this where it states that this is their job. Also let them know that if they refuse to pay then the invoice will be sent to the participant to pay for personally, and this is not desirable as it will no doubt cause the participant stress., and this is not what you want for XXXXY.

    So- option:

    1. PM pays the invoice/s
    2. Participant pays the invoice
    3. Debt collectors get sent (not that providers actually ever do this, but are certainly within their rights to).

    The ridiculous thing is that all they (PM) need to do is put in a manual payment request to NDIS – with all of the documentation you have provided – and 9 times out of 10 it will be paid no trouble at all.  It may take a little longer, but at least it gets paid through the participants funding. Ensure your invoice has the participants DOB on it as well as the usual Name, NDIS No:, support item numbers etc. Just try to follow up with these options within the 90 day time frame so they have no more excuses.

     

    Kind Regards,

    Charmaine




    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Plan Mangers refusing to create Service Bookings

    Posted 20-04-2023 16:38

    Thank Fiona for your message.  I agree with Mark – no money no service and this comment has come straight from the NDIS.

     

    We had a situation where we were told that there was money available but not secured.  We provided the service and immediately the next day sent an invoice to the plan manager, who responded with 'insufficient funds to pay for this invoice'.

     

    It took us over two years to get paid for the service we provided – emails to the Commission, NDIA, NDIS and Ministers.

     

    If a participant wants the service and happy to sign a service agreement for the duration of that service, plan managers need to secure that funding to ensure continuity of supports.  It is not their decision or role to play God and change the goal posts.

     

    I guess it's true what they say – securing funding, then having to cancel the booking and allocate money elsewhere can be time consuming and plan managers are finding ways to increase their profits, no service booking means the participant does not get a full summary reconciliation based on services but rather category.

     

    Kind Regards,

     

    Mary Gakopoulos

    Chief Executive Officer

     

     

     

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  • 7.  RE: Plan Mangers refusing to create Service Bookings

    Posted 21-04-2023 01:08

    That is quite frankly an ignorant comment that puts you at odds with the NDIS Code of Conduct. You might want to read it one day.

    The PMs are doing their job. They don't work for you. 



    ------------------------------
    Collin Mullane
    Principal | NDIS Support Coordinator

    My Coordinator
    www.mycoordinator.me
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Plan Mangers refusing to create Service Bookings

    Posted 21-04-2023 15:41

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    ------------------------------
    Mary Kubalova
    Community Manager
    NDS Communities
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Plan Mangers refusing to create Service Bookings

    Posted 21-04-2023 01:05

    Firstly, did the participant agree to the quarantining of funds or did you simply send the service agreement to the plan manager and demand they do this?

    A service agreement does not guarantee funds or payment. No contract does, unless you take it to court.

    Bad debts are unfortunately a normal part of business that we must all confront from time to time.



    ------------------------------
    Collin Mullane
    ------------------------------



  • 10.  RE: Plan Mangers refusing to create Service Bookings

    Posted 21-04-2023 14:00

    I can't speak about anyone else - but we do ask the question in our schedule of supports are you happy for us to create a service booking for this amount and the duration of the service - we have never had a participant say 'no'.



    ------------------------------
    Mary Gakopoulos
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: Plan Mangers refusing to create Service Bookings

    Posted 03-05-2023 11:51
    Hi, I'm a Plan Manager and completely surprised by it. Im the opposite, I want the service agreement to quarantine funds.

    ---------------------------------
    Sandi Smith
    ---------------------------------





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