IAC Members connected with the community to find out about issues that affect them.

This includes issues that affect participants.

Participants are people with disability who take part in the NDIS.

IAC Members shared reports about these issues with people from the NDIA.

People from the NDIA also shared their response to some of these issues.

IAC Members said participants are worried about their NDIS plans.

An NDIS plan has information about:

• a participant and their goals
• what supports they need
• what the NDIS will pay for.

Participants are worried they’re not getting the right funding in their NDIS plans.

Funding is money that pays for the NDIS supports that participants need.

For example, some participants get funding for 1‑on-1 supports.

But they need funding for 2-on-1 support.

Or some providers deliver 2-on-1 support even if an NDIS plan doesn’t have funding for it.

Providers support people with disability by delivering a service.

This can make it harder for participants to pay for the support they need.

This can also stop participants from using more services because they don’t have enough funding left.

IAC Members said some participants have issues proving who they are when they log into the NDIS portal.

The NDIA said they will check these issues.

IAC Members said assessments cost too much for some people.

The NDIA uses assessments to work out:

• how someone’s disability affects their life
• what funding someone needs from the NDIS.

IAC Members also said the cost of assessments stop people from taking part in the NDIS.

IAC Members said people should be able to use Medicare to help pay for assessments.

The NDIA said you can use Medicare to help pay for an assessment.

You can do this if a doctor does your assessment.

The NDIA said they can improve the way they share information about assessments.

The NDIA also wants to work with other people to make it easier for people to join the NDIS.

But the NDIA said this will take time.

IAC Members said the community are still confused about NDIS supports.

IAC Members said people are worried about changes to the supports they can get.

The NDIA said they are working to make sure participants understand the new rules.

The NDIA also said they’ve:

• held information sessions

• sent emails and texts

• updated their website.

IAC Members said the community are worried about unregistered providers.

An unregistered provider can offer supports and services to participants.

But there are certain supports and services they can’t provide.

For example, supports and services providers need more training for.

The community are worried that no one is checking unregistered providers to make sure they are:

• doing the right thing

• delivering good services.

IAC Members said sometimes the NDIA calls participants for a check-in without telling them.

A check-in is when the NDIA talks with a participant about how their supports are going.

The NDIA said they’re working on ways to improve how they let participants know about check-ins.

For example, telling participants 2 months before they will have a check-in.

The NDIA also said they want to make sure participants have a good experience for their check‑in.