As of May 2, 2022 we’re making some changes to our invoices to clarify how we invoice your NDIS plan for the preparation and follow-up that go into providing you with the personalised and specialist services you deserve.
From this date, you will see a separate charge on your invoices that reflects the preparation and follow-up work that coincides with each appointment. This will be linked to your service: for instance, “Prep & Follow Up – Occupational Therapy”. This will occur for all appointments, face-to-face or telehealth.
Our service providers will typically spend 30 minutes preparing for or following up on your appointment. Your invoice will reflect the time they actually spend supporting you.
Under your service agreement, your service providers can charge your NDIS plan for all the work they do to support you to meet your goals, such as reviewing your progress before an appointment, the appointment itself, through to follow up work supporting your goals after your appointment and consulting with other service providers.
This work ensures the time you spend in your appointment with Vision Australia is as beneficial as possible. The change to our billing process will make it easier for you to understand how your NDIS plan is being used.
For more information, please read our FAQs below, or call us on 1300 84 74 66.
Yours sincerely,
Ron Hooton
CEO
Vision Australia
FAQs
What is happening?
We’re standardising and simplifying how we bill your NDIS plan for the preparation and follow-up work that is part of any appointment you have with Vision Australia.
We’ve always done this work to support you: from May 2, 2022 you will see this support itemised on your invoices as “Prep & Follow up”.
Why is this change being made now?
Vision Australia’s charging for services policy is reviewed annually. The policy was updated in early 2022 to more accurately reflect the work our service providers do in preparing for and following up an appointment with you.
We are now standardising how we bill you for this, making it easier for you to understand how your NDIS funds are being used.
What will I be charged for preparation and follow up?
Vision Australia delivers personalised services that are dependent on an individual’s needs. Typically, you should expect any appointment that is 45 minutes or longer to attract a 30-minute charge for preparation and follow up.
What if I don’t have enough remaining funding in my service agreement to cover the preparation and follow-up charges?
Vision Australia staff will work with you (the client) and/or family members to ensure services are made available to the individual and explore possible long-term service and funding options. Through delivering services, if you use your allocated hours, we’ll speak with you about how we can continue to support you.
My NDIS plan only has a limited amount of funding, is preparation and follow-up really important to me?
Preparation and follow-up are vital to ensure the time you spend in an appointment is as beneficial as possible for you. Just like you know what you want to achieve in an appointment, our service providers need to be ready to help you achieve that. This takes time, and our clinical expertise, to ensure the services we provide are as effective as possible.
My original appointment was earlier in the year but postponed because of COVID, why do I have to pay more now?
Vision Australia has always charged for the time spent preparing and following up.
This change to our billing processes gives you greater transparency of what your NDIS funds are used for.
Why do I need to pay for this when you fundraise?
Government funding through schemes like the NDIS play an important role in Vision Australia delivering services, but we still experience a multi-million-dollar shortfall each year in what it costs for us to support clients. Generous public donations help us fill this gap.
Vision Australia is aware people may not receive adequate NDIS funding for their needs, where this occurs, we can help people access services they need to meet their goals.
On top of fundraising, your annual report shows you have a large amount of cash assets. Why do I have to pay for this out of my NDIS plan when you have assets available to you?
Vision Australia is committed to being a sustainable organisation to ensure the blind and low vision community continues to receive the support they need.
We’re committed to being a modern and financially strong organisation to ensure we can meet the needs of our clients now and in the future.
The other disability organisations that I use don’t charge for preparation and follow up.
All registered NDIS providers can charge for all the work they do to support you to meet your goals. This can include preparation before your appointment, the appointment itself to writing case notes afterwards.
The decision to include a separate line item on invoices has been made in order to be more transparent about all the time charged to your plan.
Why have I been charged for preparation and follow up when I haven’t got my report yet?
The charge for preparation and follow up relates only to your appointment with a service provider.
Report writing is separate to any appointment you might have. As per the Vision Australia service agreement, you will be invoiced for all hours used to support you to meet your goals. This may include:
- Services provided face to face, over the telephone, or through video conferencing.
- Clinical preparation or follow up for each appointment.
- Travel to provide you with services.
- Phone or email discussions with you about your services outside of a scheduled appointment.
- Consultation with other providers offering you support (either within or external to Vision Australia). This could include another NDIS service provider, teachers, or discussion with carers or family members. We will never discuss your information without your consent.
- Report or assessment writing.
Any report or assessment writing will appear as a separate line item on your invoice.
How can you justify preparation and follow up for every appointment?
The time spent preparing for your appointment is critical to ensure you make the most of the time face to face with your service provider. Your service provider will only bill you for the time they actually spend on preparation and follow up.
If they need to undertake complex preparation or follow up, they’ll let you know ahead of, or at your appointment time.
The Vision Australia person-centred approach in preparing and following up after each appointment means that each time you see your service provider they are up to date on your goals and can focus solely on helping you achieve them.
What exactly is preparation and follow up?
Some common things a service provider might do when preparing for or following up an appointment are below – these are real examples of the work we do to support clients.
- Follow up phone call or email to family outlining the service event
- Internal referrals following the appointment
- Review of the file, case notes, or handover prior to the appointment
- Preparation and gathering of equipment needed for an appointment
- Resource development or summary post appointment (i.e. sending you JAWS Shortcuts related to your training)
- Content preparation for the session itself.
Does billing for prep and follow up only apply to face-to-face appointments?
No, it applies to telehealth sessions too.
Does every service really need a follow up case note to be written?
Yes. As a registered NDIS provider, Vision Australia is required to keep detailed records of all appointments with NDIS participants. Detailed case notes and client files are also a vital part of ensuring we are providing you with the services you need and that you are on track to meet the goals identified in your NDIS plan.
If I have an appointment with two Vision Australia service providers, will I be charged for two lots of preparation and follow up?
For the majority of joint appointments, both Vision Australia service providers would bill you for preparation and follow up. In these circumstances, each service provider will bill for preparation and follow up that is specific to the work they do with you during the appointment.
I’m not happy with this change, what are my options?
You are welcome to discuss these changes with us by calling us on 1300 84 74 66. You can also use our online feedback form via our website.
You are also entitled to end your service agreement with Vision Australia at any stage.
If you’re still concerned about these changes, you are encouraged to call our National Call Centre on 1300 84 74 66.