What to look for when choosing a Plan Manager

May 15, 2020

If you are already receiving NDIS funding to access reasonable and necessary supports for your disability, you’re probably aware that you have multiple options when it comes to the management of your funds.

You can choose for your budget to be agency managed by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), you can manage it yourself (self-managed), or you can choose to work with a Plan Manager from a plan management agency NDIS.

Choosing to work with a plan management agency NDIS is often considered the best option because it allows you to take a collaborative approach to managing your plan funds, without all the hassle of recordkeeping and paying providers.

But, finding the best NDIS Plan Manager to suit your needs might seem a little daunting at first. So how do you know what to look for?

The services they offer

With some NDIS plan management agencies you may find that they also offer other services such as support coordination. If you have funds allocated to you in your plan for support coordination, choosing to work with an agency that also offers this service may prove to be beneficial.

Not only will working with an agency for both plan management and support coordination save you time and travel, it will also mean that you can build stronger relationships with the staff at that agency, which will improve your overall experience.

Having a Plan Manager who can focus on the time-consuming daily admin tasks involved with your plan, such as processing invoices and submitting claims, while also getting support from a Support Coordinator who can connect you with the best service providers to suit your needs, is the best way to put your NDIS plan into action.

If you are unsure about what services an agency offers, don’t be afraid to ask!

Their expertise and experience

As someone living with disability, you may find yourself more comfortable working with a Plan Manager who has life experience with disability.

Some people choose this line of work because they have experienced caring for a member of their family with disability or have worked as a disability support worker themselves. Choosing a Plan Manager who has experienced either of these can help greatly when communicating with them about your plan, goals, needs and desires.

Also consider what the agency’s main area of expertise is within their business. Is plan management a focus or is something else? Do they offer tracking tools for you to stay informed about your plan funds? Asking these questions will help you to identify their level of experience.

It is also worthwhile to look at the size of their organisation. Often, working with a smaller team is beneficial to ensure you receive the level of one-on-one, personal support and assistance that you want.

How they make you feel

This point may be last but it’s definitely not least. It is very important that you consider your own feelings when it comes to choosing a Plan Manager to work with.

The best NDIS Plan Managers will involve you in decisions made and explain things to you in a language you can understand so that you feel empowered to make decisions about your plan.

Do they take the time to get to know you? Beyond just the specifics of your plan funds and ask you personal questions about what you like doing, your hobbies, interests and preferences. This will help to build trust and lead to better outcomes.

At the end of the day, if something doesn’t feel right or if you don’t get along with them, it’s better for both of you if you don’t continue the relationship. It won’t benefit anyone if you continue to work with someone who you don’t feel comfortable with.

At Disability Plan Services, we are always focused on you. We are a dedicated team with lots of real-world experience and a long history of disability services. By taking the time to get to know you and understand your unique situation and specific needs, we help you to achieve what you want from your plan.

As your partners on this journey, it is important to us that our relationship is built on trust. It’s this trust that our community has in us that means you will always feel a sense of safety and security.

For more information about our NDIS Plan Managers in Brisbane or to get in touch please call us on 1800 312 870 or email info@disabilityplanservices.com.au.