NDIS Plan Management Service Agreement

This service is only available within South Australia. Check our services page for specific locations. Or contact Head to Health directly on 1800 595 212 or visit website www.headtohealth.gov.au for alternative services in their area.

This Service Agreement sets out how Country & Outback Health will deliver its Plan Management services to you.

Country & Outback Health Responsibilities

We agree to provide general Plan Management Services including;
• Facilitate payment of invoices on your behalf in a timely manner.
• Only ever pay up to the maximum rate/amount for services or supports specified in the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits. Amounts exceeding the maximum rate/amount for services or supports will need to be paid by you.
• Process reimbursement claims to you in a timely manner.
• Track expenditure on provider services or supports against your budget.
• Provide you with regular statements of how much you have spent and how much you have left.
• Not make payment on future dated invoices – invoices must be received after a support has been delivered.
• Provide supports in a manner consistent with all relevant laws, including the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (NDIS Act) and Rules, and the Australian Consumer Law.
• Give you the required notice if Country & Outback Health needs to end the Service Agreement (see ‘Ending this Agreement’ as set out below for more information).
• Understand and discuss with you any risks of conflict of interest in relation to other NDIS services Country & Outback Health provides.
• Communicate openly and honestly in a timely manner.
• Treat you with courtesy and respect.
• Consult you on decisions about how supports are provided.
• Give you information about managing any complaints or disagreements and details of the provider’s cancellation policy (if relevant).
• Listen to your feedback and resolve problems quickly.

In addition to information contained in the above, YOU are required to

• Provide us a copy of your full NDIS plan – including all budget information.
• Provide other information, or have your services provide information, regarding agreements and finances you have agreed to receive.
• Review and provide guidance regarding your supports, invoices or other matters in a timely manner.
• Be responsible for any expenses that are not part of your NDIS Plan or whereby the support or services provided exceed the maximum rate/amount as per the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits.
• Let us know if you have new service providers, or you stop receiving services from a service provider. This ensures we only pay valid and appropriate invoices.
• Give Country & Outback Health the required notice to end the Service Agreement should you wish to cease this Agreement. See ‘Ending this Agreement’ (below).
• Notify Country & Outback Health immediately if your NDIS plan is suspended or replaced by a new NDIS plan, or you stop being an NDIS Participant.

Fees for Services

From the start date Country & Outback Health will automatically invoice the NDIA for the Plan Management Services we provide in accordance with current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits.

Consent

• I consent for Country & Outback Health staff to provide plan management (financial intermediary) services for me.
• I give permission for staff from Country & Outback Health to release and exchange information related to my plan management service to assist in my services with (please list current or planned providers):
Click or drag a file to this area to upload.
• I understand that all information collected by Country & Outback Health will be treated in a confidential manner and stored securely in electronic databases.
• I understand that there are limitations to confidentiality and Country & Outback Health may provide information about me where there is a legal obligation to do so or if there is an immediate or specified risk of harm to myself or another person.
• I understand that the service is voluntary, and consent is valid until the time of exit from Country & Outback Health services and I have the right to withhold or withdraw consent at any time.
• I understand information collected by Country & Outback Health may be accessed for internal and external quality assurance purposes.
• I understand Country and Outback Health does not provide financial advice.
• I understand Country and Outback Health are not responsible for any outstanding invoices that are unable to be processed and/or claimed whereby there is insufficient funds or funds are exhausted.

Choice and Control

As an NDIS participant, you have choice and control over how and where you spend your NDIS plan to meet your goals and needs. In choosing plan management of your funding you can choose to use both registered and non-registered providers. In choosing to use Country & Outback Health as your plan manager, we will pay invoices that fall within NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits (up to the maximum hourly or item rate specified), and within reasonable and necessary guidelines. We will not make decisions on reasonable and necessary, however will seek your input and/or your provider’s input if an invoice does not appear to meet reasonable and necessary supports. We will not pay invoices that appear fraudulent.

Election of Choices

Country & Outback Health provide you with choices regarding your level of involvement in managing your NDIS plan funding. These can be changed and updated at any time throughout the life of this agreement.
Financial Statements will be provided monthly via email unless otherwise specified. Please indicate your preference.
I understand I can access this information anytime via phone or email.
I can change these allocations at any time and I understand that if I overspend in one category, Country & Outback Health will automatically adjust my bookings to ensure all services can be paid for.

Complaints and the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (NDIS Commission)

Country & Outback Health is committed to maintaining a high standard of service and we welcome all feedback. Your Client Information Booklet explains how you can provide feedback on your experiences with us, including how to make a complaint. As an NDIS participant, you have the right to make a complaint directly with the NDIS Commission, an independent agency established to improve the quality and safety of NDIS supports and services. For more information visit their website: https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/about/complaints or call them on 1800 035 544 (free call from landlines) or TTY 133 677.

Advocacy

An advocate can enable and support you by helping you understand your rights, listen to your concerns and discuss your options for raising that concern. They can assist with negotiating changes to your plan, give advice and support when dealing with service providers and help you overcome any barriers that may impact on your ability to participate in your community.
Disability advocacy organisations include Advocacy for Disability Access and Inclusion https://advocacyfordisability.org.au/ phone (08) 8340 4450 and Disability Advocacy and Complaints Service of South Australia Inc https://www.dacssa.org.au/ phone (08) 7122 6030.

Goods and Services Tax (GST)

For the purposes of GST legislation, Country & Outback Health confirm that a supply of supports under this Service Agreement is a supply of one or more of the reasonable and necessary supports specified in the statement included under subsection 33(2) and 37 of the NDIS Act.

Conflict of Interest

Country & Outback Health provide a range of different services for NDIS participants. This means we may have a real or perceived conflict of interest, particularly if we are providing you with more than one service.
Country & Outback Health is committed to ensuring we are open and transparent and actively manage any real or perceived conflicts of interest. This includes ensuring you are aware of your rights of choice and control and that you are making your own decision on the services to best meet your needs. You have a right to know and understand how we do this and how we manage this – if you would like to receive this information, please contact us.

Incident Management

Country & Outback Health treat your safety and wellbeing as a priority.
If we become aware of any incidents involving you, we will let you know and seek your input and we will investigate accordingly and appropriately and keep you informed of the process. We will also report the incident to the NDIS Commission within the required timelines. We may be required to report the incident to other statutory bodies and will inform you of this.

Ending this agreement

If you want to end this Service Agreement, you should give us 28 days’ notice – in this time Country & Outback Health will finalise outstanding payments, release service bookings, and supply this information to you. If Country & Outback Health need to end this agreement, we will give you 28 days’ notice. This agreement is valid for the length of your current NDIS plan, including any extensions.
If either party seriously breaches this Service Agreement the requirement of notice will be waived.

Agreement signature

I understand this service agreement.
Clear Signature

For further information, Country and Outback Health Plan Management Team can be contacted on:

Phone: 08 8644 4909
Email: planmanagement@cobh.org.au
Address: PO Box 2029, Whyalla Norrie, SA, 5608

Click HERE for how to make a complaint about your NDIS service