The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) has released the 2024–2025 Annual Pricing Review (APR), outlining significant changes to how services and supports are priced under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
While these updates aim to improve participant outcomes and foster a sustainable, fair provider market, it’s important to understand that the impact won’t be felt equally. For many service providers, the changes could introduce new pressures, reduce margins, or create operational challenges particularly in already stretched areas like therapy, workforce retention, and regional delivery.
Being across these changes early is critical to preparing your teams, adapting your systems, and planning for the year ahead.
Here’s everything you need to know: what’s changing, when it happens, and how it may affect you or your organisation.
🗓️ When Do the Changes Apply?
Most pricing changes will take effect from 1 July 2025. Providers, participants, and plan managers should begin preparing now.
Summary of Key Changes
1. New Multi-Year Pricing Work Plan
The NDIA will move away from reviewing all pricing annually and instead release a 3-year pricing work plan.
This means:
- More targeted deep dives into complex areas (like therapy and direct support)
- More time to consult with providers and participants
- Better alignment with workforce and funding trends
💡 Why it matters: Greater transparency and predictability for providers and participants.
2. Earlier Release of Pricing Reviews
Currently, pricing updates are released mid-year, leaving little time for providers to prepare. Moving forward, APRs will be released earlier in the financial year, giving providers and the government more time to adjust budgets and systems.
3. Price Adjustments for Disability Support Worker (DSW) Services
- DSW services represent over 65% of total NDIS spending.
- From 1 July 2025, price limits will be adjusted in line with:
- Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (SCHADS Award) wage changes
- Superannuation Guarantee increase to 12%
📌 Insight: Current pricing may be encouraging small-scale operators while discouraging investment in workforce development and complex supports.
4. Therapy Supports – Moving Toward Fairer Pricing
The NDIA is shifting away from a “flat rate” model. New benchmarking shows price limits need adjusting.
✔️ Changes from 1 July 2025:
- Psychologist hourly rate increased to $232.99
- Physiotherapy, Dietetics, and Podiatry rates reduced by $5–$10
- State-based premiums will be removed for national consistency
- Prices will be presented in 10-minute increments (not just hourly)
📌 Why: Current rates are out of line with broader market data from the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) and Private Health Insurance (PHI) data.
5. Travel Costs for Therapy Providers
- Therapy travel will be capped at 50% of the hourly rate, to ensure funding is better spent on actual supports rather than overheads.
6. Nursing Supports and Community-Based Services
- For supports outside DSW pricing (like some nursing services), price increases will reflect a weighted combination of:
- Wage Price Index (WPI) – 80%
- Consumer Price Index (CPI) – 20%
- Changes apply from 1 July 2025
7. Support Coordination
- Level 1 Support Connection and Psychosocial Recovery Coaching will receive price increases aligned with DSW rates.
- Level 2 Coordination of Supports and Level 3 Specialist Support Coordination prices remain unchanged for now.
📌 Reason: The NDIA is preparing for new roles (like the NDIS Navigator) and mandatory registration for Support Coordinators from July 2025.
8. Plan Management Updates
What’s staying:
- Monthly fee of $104.45 remains unchanged.
What’s changing:
- The one-off establishment fee ($232.35) will be removed.
- Remote and very remote loadings will be removed (plan management is now delivered virtually at scale).
Why These Changes Matter
The NDIA is adopting a more differentiated pricing model one that accounts for:
- Complexity of supports
- Service delivery settings
- The actual costs of delivering high-quality care
This shift supports:
- Better outcomes for people with disability
- Long-term viability for providers
- Fairer pricing across Australia
Looking Ahead
Expect further pricing reform as part of a broader Therapy Pricing Review to be completed by late 2026. Future changes will be informed by:
- Data from pilot programs (e.g., Supported Independent Living)
- Input from providers, participants, and peak bodies
- Workforce trends and market dynamics
Final Thoughts
The NDIS is evolving, and the NDIA is making changes to ensure services are safe, sustainable, and participant-focused.
These reforms aim to:
- Reward quality and complexity
- Support growth in underserved areas
- Build trust and value for participants
Stay tuned as we continue to break down what these changes mean for you whether you’re a provider, participant, support coordinator or plan manager, Contact Us, or visit our Support Coordination page for more general information.
