COVID-19: SUPPORT FOR PROVIDERS ENABLING COVID-19 VACCINATION FOR PARTICIPANTS
The Minister for the NDIS the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC, has announced an expansion of the financial payment available to providers supporting NDIS participants to attend COVID-19 vaccination appointments.
The initiative (a $150 payment directly claimed from the NDIA), which commenced in May for supported independent living (SIL) providers, has now been extended to include additional providers (including Support Coordinators), to ensure that more NDIS participants are supported to receive their vaccinations.
The $150 is an all-inclusive one off amount that allows eligible providers to organise the best approach for participants being vaccinated offsite. This may include:
- administration to arrange vaccination appointments including seeking participant consent;
- transport both ways in a COVID-safe manner; and / or
- appropriate staff to accompany participants to and from the appointments including remaining with them during the waiting time after the vaccination
How does this work?
CLAIM RULES
1. HOW MUCH CAN BE CLAIMED
$150 in total, via a single claim.
2. HOW MUCH CAN BE CLAIMED
Support Coordinators can submit a claim once the NDIS participant has received all required doses (both doses) to become fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Unless for reasons outside of the provider’s control that the participant can’t receive all required doses.
Support Coordinators who supported a participant to obtain a first COVID-19 vaccination appointment prior to this initiative coming into effect, can make a payment claim if they also arrange the second COVID-19 vaccination appointment, while this support is available.
3. HOW MANY TIMES CAN THIS SUPPORT BE CLAIMED
Once per participant, after both doses have been administered.
4. CAN MULTIPLE PROVIDERS CLAIM FOR THE SUPPORT
NO, only one provider can claim for the $150. If the Support Coordinator does all the work to arrange the appointments, then the Support Coordinator should claim $150. Where a support worker has been engaged they can claim their NDIS funds from the participant’s plans for the support workers time, transport costs etc.
5. CAN UNREGISTERED PROVIDERS CLAIM FOR THE SUPPORT
NO, only registered providers can claim.
6. HOW DO PROVIDERS WHO SUPPORT PLAN-MANAGED OR SELF MANAGED PARTICIPANTS CLAIM?
Support Coordionators that support plan-managed and self-managed participants can invoice the NDIA for the vaccine enablement payment, submitting invoices by email to provider.support@ndis.gov.au
All provider claims will be subject to NDIS financial obligations and NDIA payment assurance processes.
Invoices must be submitted within 28 days of the final vaccination appointment and include:
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- participant/s name, NDIS number/s and date/s of birth
- value of claim up to $150 and details of claim and number of participants
- this statement confirming the COVID-19 vaccination support has been delivered to the participant – ‘I confirm this claim for payment is correct and NDIS participants included have completed their series of COVID-19 vaccinations including all required doses’
- provider ABN, legal name and bank account details.
Note: bank accounts must be a business name. Personal bank accounts will not be accepted. Invoices without a valid ABN will not be processed.
7. HOW DO PROVIDERS WHO SUPPORT AGENCY-MANAGED PARTICIPANTS CLAIM?
Registered providers must submit invoices using the myplace provider portal.
All provider claims are subject to the NDIS financial obligations and NDIA payment assurance processes.
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- Log in to the myplace provider portal
- Select the ‘payment enquiry’ tile
- Complete the details of the organisation representative
- Select ‘single payment issue’
- Submission on behalf of a participant – select ’no’
- Drop down box – Request details – select subject ‘payment request enquiry’
- Do you have a service booking? – select ’no’
- Do you have a payment request number? – select ’no’
- Is there an amount involved in the enquiry? – select ’no’
- In the ‘Feedback’ text box, type ‘Covid19 Vaccination Support Invoice’
- Associated documents – you must upload an invoice, not a CSV file
- Select what you would like to do with this payment issue – select ‘Submit’.
To avoid a delay in payment, providers must:
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- type ‘Covid19 Vaccination Support Invoice’ in the ‘Feedback’ text box
- submit invoices within 28 days of the final vaccination appointment
- include the following information in the invoice:
- participant/s name, NDIS number/s and date/s of birth
- this statement confirming the COVID-19 vaccination support has been delivered to the participant – ‘I confirm this claim for payment is correct and NDIS participants included have completed their series of COVID-19 vaccinations including all required doses’.
The NDIA will accept one invoice with multiple participant claims.
WHAT TASKS DOES A SUPPORT COORDINATOR NEED TO DELIVER TO CLAIM?
Support Coordinators can claim where they deliver their normal Support Coordinator duties, but for the sole purpose of supporting a participant to get vaccinated. This could include supporting the participant to :
- Navigate the multiple eledgibile checks and booking platforms (i.e. Commonwealth and State or Territory Platforms);
- Arrange transport to and from the appointment;
- Arrange required supports to attend the appointment with the participant (i.e. informal family supports, support worker etc); and
- Understand that all Australians must give informed consent before having the COVID-19 vaccine. In some circumstances this may require engagement with the Participants legal decision maker (Substitute Decision Maker). When a person has a substitute decision maker, then the Support Coordinator may need to support the participant to arrange for consent as required in the jurisdiction the person lives in. This can vary across states and territories. This would be similar to what a provider would do with a flu vaccination or other health care arrangements. The vaccination team needs to know the person or their legal decision maker (Substitute Decision Maker) has consented to having the vaccination.
EVIDENCE AND DOCUMENTATION
The NDIA are yet to formally specify what evidence is requred to be documented and retained by the Support Coordinator, however they have said:
“All provider claims are subject to the NDIS financial obligations and NDIA payment assurance processes.”
As such DIA recommend that Support Coordinators retain eviedence that both vaccinations have been obtained by the participant. This could include a copy of the participants COVID-19 vaccination certificate or copies of attendence slips from vaccine appointments etc.
For further information please visit:
The full announcement can be accessed on the NDIS website: NDIA COVID-19 Response
Media Release from the Minister: Ministerial Announcement re extension of $150 payment.
Information on claiming for this support: Claiming and Payments Information
Information for providers regarding Informed Consent: Information on COVID-19 vaccine consent for disability providers.
DIA will continue to update the broader intermediaries sector with up to date information on the NDIS and is able to continue to do this because of the support of our members. DIA encourages Intermediary providers to consider joining DIA as a member, to ensure we can continue to support our members and the sector.