No, the role of the plan administrator is not to determine if the supports or services purchased are “reasonable and necessary.” Your plan funds will be approved. Plan administration is not the same as having the NDIA manage your NDIS plan funds or having you decide to manage your plan yourself. If you have a complaint with your plan administrator service, start by talking to your plan administrator. An NDIS partner in the community that provides local coordination services or early childhood services can support you in implementing and monitoring the plan.
This means that there will be agreed and shorter deadlines for people to receive a decision about whether they will be covered by the NDIS, for them to obtain a plan from the NDIS, and for them to review it. The guide does not prescribe what services the plan administrator must provide, so the services offered may vary. This provides a level of protection for NDIS participants, as it helps to ensure that those who perform risk-assessed roles do not pose an unacceptable risk to the safety and well-being of NDIS participants. The NDIA also recognizes the importance of listening to and understanding the circumstances, preferences and objectives of participants when planning and providing technical assistance within the framework of the NDIS.
Then, the NDIS provider or self-managed participant must verify if they hire (or intend to hire) the worker, in order to provide the NDIS supports and services. If you are not satisfied with the result or do not want to discuss the matter with your plan administrator, you can file a complaint with the NDIS Commission. The plan administrator may be required to refund any amount that hasn't been spent according to your plan. The NDIA expects the plan administrator to validate an invoice and submit a payment request to the NDIA within five business days of receiving it.
If your NDIS plan funds are being spent faster than expected and there is a risk that the funds will run out before your next review, the plan administrator should talk to you about it. Plan administrators are also expected to follow the service expectations set out in the NDIS Guide to Plan Management. The Committee's report focuses on preparing the market for the provision of services within the framework of the NDIS and examines a range of issues related to the preparation of NDIS participants, providers and the workforce in the NDIS market, and the Government's responses to market administration. For updated information on the progress of the transition from the NDIS to the comprehensive system, see the NDIS website.
This will involve regular reporting on the budgets managed by the plan, as described in the NDIS Guide to Plan Management.