Sky Plan Management

27/06/2023

Tax time is the favourite time of year for scammers to ramp up their fiendish schemes. Texts, emails, calls and social media are the usual means they'll use, pretending the be the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to try and get your personal information, claiming that you are owed money or owe money to them. Be vigilant and don't believe everything you hear or read. If in doubt call the actual ATO number by looking up their legitimate website (www.ato.gov.au).

For more information on avoiding these scams, the NAB site below provides some tips and ways to avoid being scammed at tax time.

https://www.nab.com.au/about-us/security/online-safety-tips-business/tax-scams

19/04/2023

It's becoming an increasing issue where we as a plan manager receive an invoice that has a cancelled ABN listed on it. Legally, we can't process invoices that have a cancelled ABN. It's important for independent providers to be aware of their obligations when they have an Australian Business Number. The ATO will cancel an ABN if no business activity has been reported to them under that ABN. If you're unsure what to do, seek advice from an accountant. See link below for more information.
https://www.ato.gov.au/Newsroom/smallbusiness/General/Are-you-still-using-your-ABN-/ #:~:text=Your%20ABN%20may%20be%20flagged,by%20email%2C%20letter%20or%20SMS.

09/03/2023

With the Oscars looming this week, the team at Sky Plan Management got talking about our favourite films. There’s been some fabulous films where there’s not an actor playing a character with a disability, but an actor with a disability playing a character. Here’s our top three:

Dance Me To My Song (1998)
This Aussie, very little known film is directed by Rolf de Heer, written by and starring Heather Rose who portrays Julia. Julia has cerebral palsy and her only means of communication is via her computer voice box. We get to see Julia’s challenges and triumphs in everyday life. Some quite confronting moments and some exhilarating ones too. A very moving and wonderfully produced movie that is a must see.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0154378/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Me Too (2009)
A Spanish film also known as ‘Yo, tambien’. Starring Pablo Pineda as Daniel, a recent university graduate with Down’s Syndrome who falls in love with a colleague at his new job in the Department of Social Services. Funny, touching and uplifting with some poignant moments too.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1289449/?ref_=nm_knf_t_1

Children Of A Lesser God (1986)
Starring Marlee Matlin and William Hurt. A love story between a teacher and the janitor that works at his school who is profoundly deaf. At 21 years and 218 days, Marlee Matlin is the youngest ever winner of a Best Actress Oscar.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090830/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

16/12/2022

The Department of Social Services (the department) is working to update and replace the Disability Services Act 1986 (the Act). It has been in place for more than thirty years with the aim of improving the lives of, and supporting, people with disability, their families and carers.

In order to continue to do this, we need your help to make sure that those supports and services it covers are modern, flexible, and directly relevant to your priorities and needs.

Your voice is an important part of this work. Your ideas and feedback will help to make sure that the new Act can genuinely improve outcomes for people with disability, their families, and carers. Having your say is a strong way to determine how you, and your loved ones, live and are supported, now and in the future. The department will also give careful regard to the findings and proceedings of previous and ongoing reviews and inquiries, including the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability so that input already provided by the disability community is fully considered.
Click on the link below to find out more
https://engage.dss.gov.au/a-new-act-to-replace-the-disability-services-act-1986/

13/10/2022

For the first time, emotion21 Dancer Artists with Down syndrome are performing to a wider audience at the Melbourne Fringe Festival. For more information, click on the link below:
https://melbournefringe.com.au/event/analects-of-aliveness/

27/09/2022

Jerusha Mather believes gaining entry into medical school is unfairly difficult for her due to her disability. Mather, 27, has cerebral palsy, which affects her speech and physical capabilities. Her cognition, however, is undiminished. She has completed a biomedical sciences degree, with honours, as part of her long-held plan to study medicine.

The one barrier preventing that goal from being fulfilled, Mather believes, is the gruelling 5¼-hour admissions test facing prospective medical students, the Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test, known as the GAMSAT. The PhD student has tried to complete the exam using a scribe twice, but has not reached the interview stage set aside for those who perform the strongest.

To read the full story, click on this link
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/one-woman-s-fight-to-scrap-discriminatory-medical-school-entrance-exam-20220916-p5birg.html

24/06/2022

With the new financial year looming, the NDIS has released an updated Price Guide that will come into effect 1st July 2022. This post is not aimed to provide every change and detail but to cover some major components. For more detailed information visit https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/pricing-arrangements

Core Support Worker price limits will increase by 9%. It has been advised that participants' unspent funds in core will be automatically indexed to cover this.

Short notice cancellations has been changed from 2 days to 7 days. There must be a service agreement in place with the participant covering this cancellation policy for the provider to be able to charge for this.

There is more clarification around the memberships required for the various therapy categories such as OT, Speech, Psych, Music, Art therapies. Providers need to be members of certain entities in order to charge for these services.

06/06/2022

Covid-19 has had a big impact on the way people access various services in their everyday lives and NDIS related services. With modern technology, many services don’t have the traditional ‘bricks and mortar’ premises that NDIS participants visit in person. Depending on the nature of the service provided, the impact on the quality of service varies.
Many participants benefit more from seeing their therapist providers face to face rather than via video conferencing, however, more therapists such as OTs, Speech and Physiotherapists are providing home visit supports.
Participants are also starting to feel more comfortable with the idea of accessing psychological sessions via video conferencing instead of in person.
The nature of services provided by Plan Managers also eliminates the need for an office that participants can visit. Paying invoices, providing budget updates and answering queries in relation to NDIS plan funding can all be effectively provided both online and over the phone. Setting up a video conference is also possible if the participant wants to put a face to a name when dealing with their plan manager.
The important thing to note is to choose your service based on what your personal preference is and what makes you feel the most comfortable.

30/05/2022

The NDIS has released a Plan Implementation Directory that provides some helpful information and resources for NDIS participants. To find out more visit,

The plan implementation directory links you to information on the NDIS website. We have added some new information based on what participants told us was important and some new Easy Read guides and animations. There are also some tip sheets to help you work out how to do things or things to think ab...

23/05/2022

Henrietta's acting dreams comes true...

She told the Sunday Age she would like a role on Neighbours, and now Henrietta Graham,18, is a cast member of the famous soap opera.

18/05/2022

Do you access cleaning and/or house and yard maintenance through your NDIS plan?
Are you aware that under the NDIS Price Guide, the maximum rates allowed for plan managed and NDIA managed funding are flat rates? What does this mean exactly?
If a gardener or cleaner comes to your house on a weekend or a public holiday, there are no higher rates allowed under the NDIS price guide to pay them a higher rate. Make sure your provider is aware of this when booking in times for their service.