Choice and Control – Financial Plan Management offers you the choice of how involved you want to be in the financial administration of your NDIS plan. 

Flexibility - Service can be provided from anywhere in Australia – no matter where you reside. We can also assist you regardless of whether your providers are NDIS registered or not.

Guidance  -we support you with our expertise and answer any questions you have

All participants are eligible to receive this service should they choose.  The NDIS recognises that not everyone can manage or wants to manage the financial administration of the NDIS plan themselves.  

If you have an existing plan – just contact the NDIS directly (1800 800 110 or enquiries@ndis.gov.au ) and request to have this service added to your plan.  If you are due for a plan review or are receiving your first plan, you can advise your Local Area Coordinator (LAC) or NDIS planner that you would like this service added to your plan – it’s that simple.

You are in control of the NDIS plan and its finances. It is not a requirement to provide a copy of the NDIS plan.  However, it is beneficial in providing this to Distinctive Options Plan Management ream to enable us to learn your goals and aims of the plan so we can better assist you to achieve them – this will help us understand your needs and process claims with your providers in a timely manner.  

By providing us with a copy of your NDIS plan, Distinctive Options will be able to assist by:
•    Confirming the approved support categories and answer queries around ‘can I use my NDIS plan to purchase this’? – Can this be funded by the NDIS?;
•    Confirm how each approved support category is managed and direct invoices that are not plan managed to their correct funding source;
•    We will be able to allocate the correct amount of funding to your approved support categories in line with your approved plan. 

There are a few ways you might like to manage the invoice process for your NDIS service providers: 

1.    You can arrange for your service providers to send their invoices to you for review in the first instance – you might like to check the described service / dates and pricing.  If you are happy – then you can forward onto fpm@d-o.com.au for payment processing.  
2.    Another option is have your service providers forward their invoices directly to DO FPM for payment.  Choosing this option doesn’t mean that you loose control.  You can still elect to approve the invoice prior to us processing it for payment.  
3.    Direct to DO FPM without approval – your service providers can forward their invoices for payment processing and you can elect not to review – and we will just process.  This generally occurs when you have regular on going providers and appointments that ‘known’ amounts.  

We provide the above flexibility so you can be as engaged with the funding as you choose to be. You can also change your mind at any time – just let us know.

Of course!  We will assist you in any way we can.  In the case where the participant or the authorising nominee does not have email or technology access – you can still use mail / Australia Post to forward invoices – all you need to do is add your signature on the invoice and we will know it’s ready for payment processing.  This option means it will take longer to turn around over the email function.  

For providers – we have put together a fact sheet to ensure that they provide a valid invoice that we can process and minimises any delay in payment. 

In short, no.  Any unspent funds in your NDIS plan – will remain within the dates dates of issue. NDIS guidelines state that supports are paid from the date of service completing and must only be allocated from the approved NDIS plan dates.  This assists providers to submit manual claims for old debts and the NDIS are able to amend categories for payment completion. 

The NDIS is all about choice and control.  You do not have to wait till the end of your plan dates to move to a new plan management provider.  However, it is important that you provide advance notice of your intention to change providers.  You should alert your support coordinator (if you have one) and they will alert your current plan manager and assist you in engaging and transitioning with a new provider.  Each financial plan manager will have their own notice period of service exit, however generally the notice you should provide is one month.  You will also need to let your other service providers know to send their invoices to your new plan manager.  

E: fpm@d-o.com.au   T: 03 9740 7100 

Choosing Distinctive Options as your NDIS financial plan manager is as simple as calling M: 0429 165 731 – T: 03 9740 7100 or via email – fpm@d-o.com.au 

Should you choose to engage a financial plan manager – it is at no cost to you.   The NDIS recognises that not everyone has the time or capacity to manage the financial administration of a NDIS plan.  All you need to do is select this option within your planning meeting with your LAC (Local Area Coordinator) / NDIS Planner.  
They will include this component / service into your plan.  When your printed plan is issued – you will see this reflect under the heading - ‘Improved Life Choices (CB Choice & Control) – Support to set-up, develop and process monthly statements (administrative functions only).  

The fees for financial plan management services are set by the NDIS and are the same value across all providers and States / Territories in Australia. 

Choosing Distinctive Options as your NDIS financial plan manager is easy. You can:

Phone us on 0429 165 731 or 03 9740 7100.

Email us at fpm@d-o.com.au 

Or simply fill out the registration form below. You will need to provide your name, phone number and email address.