27/06/2025
Whatās All the Fuss About?
Hereās the truth: the NDIA has made a decision that fundamentally undervalues the work of therapists in paediatrics and disability. Using flawed data and a complete lack of understanding about the skills, time, and cost involved, theyāve slashed therapy prices in the 2025ā26 Price Guide ā and itās nothing short of insulting.
Letās be clear: working in paediatric or disabilityĀ therapyĀ isĀ notĀ general therapy. It requires advanced skills, emotional labour, and specialised training ā often at higher costs to providers. Yet the NDIA has based its pricing model on irrelevant Medicare, WorkCover, and Private Health Insurance data that has no bearing on the realities of NDIS therapy.
To make matters worse ā the NDIA simply guesstimated the minutes of therapy provided under these schemes and drastically underestimated the true cost of each session.Ā Their inaccurate assumptions have created a pricing structure that fails to reflect the real financial and professional demands of delivering quality care.
This isnāt just bad news for NDIS participants and therapists ā itās a dangerous precedent for the entire allied health sector. Other third parties will now look at this incorrect reporting and base their own expected fees and projections on these flawed numbers. The sectorĀ cannotĀ afford to be undervalued like this.
Even more concerning is the fact thatĀ supporting workforce sustainability is part of the NDIAās core mandateĀ ā yet that responsibility has been completely ignored. Therapists are being driven out of the sector. Providers are walking away. And participants are being left without the essential care they deserve.
No consultation. No transparency. No respect.
This isnāt just a policy issue ā itās a systemic failure that risks collapsing the therapy workforce for those who need it most.
š£Ā Visit our website to access important articles, data, and tools to take action:āØšĀ https://www.ucphysio.physio/advocacy-tools
