NDIS cost shift for masks and face shields

National Disability Insurance Scheme participants in Victoria and NSW will no longer be charged for protective gear worn by their service providers. Participants have until now been forced to dip into their NDIS plan funding to pay for the surgical masks and face shields. But on Friday, citing community transmission of coronavirus in both states, the federal government announced providers could directly bill these costs to the agency responsible for running the scheme. “We’re making it simpler for NDIS providers to claim the costs of PPE to continue safely delivering face-to-face services to participants,” Disability Minister Stuart Robert said. Providers will be able to claim $1.70 per hour of support to cover the cost of PPE. The government is also providing an urgent dispatch of masks and shields from the national stockpile to 48 supported living providers in Victoria that have struggled to source the equipment. Australian Associated Press