Plan Reviews, Part 3 of 3
You planned and prepared, you went through the review process and advocated for yourself, you presented the reviewer with the best plan for you…
And you finally receive your new plan and realise…it’s the plan you didn’t want. So, what now?
Everybody’s plan is unique to them. So, the problem with your plan is also unique to you. Maybe you asked for more funding to cover some modifications at home? Or maybe you requested some extra support hours to help you access the workforce? Whatever the reason, if you aren’t happy with your new plan, you should contact your ECP or LAC as soon as possible. They may be able to explain why a certain decision was made. We recommend doing this as soon as you receive your plan.
If you still don’t agree with the decision that was made, you can consider lodging an internal review with the NDIA. During an internal review, a person who wasn’t involved in the creation of your new plan will review the decisions that were made. Specifically, they will consider if the correct decisions were made in line with the NDIS laws. It is important to explain to the NDIA which specific decision/s you would like reviewed and why the decision is incorrect or unreasonable in your eyes.
When your new plan is sent to you, you should receive information on how to request a review. You can talk to someone at the NDIS, call the NDIS hotline (1800 800 110), or send an email.
Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that an internal review will result in a change in your plan however, if the change is important to you it is worth going through the process.
The good news is, in the meantime you can still use your new NDIS plan. Even though your plan is being reviewed, you won’t miss out on any of the supports that your new plan provides for.
But what happens if the internal review process doesn’t work, and you don’t get the change you want? Well, that’s tricky and disappointing…but our first question is, could this plan be used in a way that it actually does work for you? We encourage you to reach out to your support coordinator to discuss how you can use the plan as best you can. And speak with your support providers! As a support provider ourselves, we truly care, and are happy to discuss ways in which you can use your plan efficiently and effectively.
We know it’s disappointing when the plan review process doesn’t work out how you expect, but there can be a work around for some problems!
