PACE FAQs for NDIS Service Providers and Support Coordinators

PACE is the NDIA’s new computer system, it started rolling out at the end of 2023 and it's brought with it a whole range of changes, a new portal, and a whole lot of confusion!

We thought we’d gather some of our most common questions about PACE, as asked by support coordinators and service providers, and put them all in one handy article to help cover some of these queries.

As always, if you have any questions about the below, just let us know!

The story up until now

What is PACE, and what’s it for?

The NDIA introduced PACE to upgrade from their older system, just like when you update to a better computer at home.

How is it progressing?

All new plans and plan renewals from February 2024 will be moving onto the PACE and providers will see several changes with the rollout of the new computer system, including:

updates to NDIS support types and categories
removal of service bookings
the introduction of the new Myplace provider portal
slight changes in the way payment claims are processed, from individual claims to bulk payments
new reporting templates for Support Coordination providers.

There are three changes to NDIS support types and support categories.

Change 1

For participants with a plan on the PACE system, the NDIA have introduced a new support type in addition to Core, Capacity and Capital, called Recurring Transport. This is a self-managed category specifically designed for regular transport payments.

Change 2

The introduction of five additional categories:

Core supports now includes two new categories:

Home and living.
Young people in residential aged care’ (YPIRAC), however, this is an NDIA managed category.

Capital supports includes two new categories:

Assistive Technology, maintenance, repair and replacement.
Specialised Disability Accommodation (SDA).

Capacity Building includes one new category:

Behaviour supports.

Note: The five new categories will be ‘stated supports’ which are funds that are not flexible and cannot be transferred to other supports.

Change 3

The NDIA have also updated five of the existing category names, all under Capacity Building.

Support coordination is now called Support coordination and psychosocial recovery coach
Improved relationships are now called Relationships
Improved health and wellbeing is now called Health and wellbeing
Improved learning is now called Lifelong learning

Improved life choices is now called Choice and control.

New NDIA changes with PACE

New annual ‘Participant Check-ins'.
Participants only need to attend a plan meeting if their new plan is different to their current plan.
There are new optional plan implementation meetings – these are designed to help participants get their plan started and make sure it’s working in the right way. These meetings are optional – participants can choose whether to participate or not.

What PACE is NOT changing

PACE hasn’t changed everything, with the following staying the same:

Supports are not changing (although they may have a new name).
The fundamental structure of NDIS Plans
Item Support Numbers
The NDIS Act
The registration process for providers
NDIS Commission obligations including Practice Standards

Payments

How does PACE change how participants engage with providers and payments?

For plan managed participants - as long as the preferred plan manager is endorsed there will be no impact on payment timeframes.

For agency managed individuals - It is extremely important providers are endorsed. If the provider is not listed, the NDIA will try to confirm via SMS if the participant is comfortable working with that provider. If the participant does not reply, the NDIA have informed them there could be payment delays for providers.

What does removing single claims mean for providers?

As participants and their plans move onto PACE, providers won’t be able to use the single line-item claim function in the ‘myplace’ provider portal.

Claims for PACE participants will need to occur through a bulk upload, which is aimed at reducing transactional requirements for providers. A single line can be submitted in a bulk upload.

All claims will need to be made using the Bulk Payment Request template and submitted in the ‘myplace’ portal – with the same service and support details that are currently used.

Tip: If providers use the Bulk Payment Request template, they don’t need to know if a participant has an NDIS plan in PACE, because all claims will be made through the ‘myplace’ provider portal.

Service agreements

What are the changes to Plan Management service agreements?

Under the new PACE system (while participants can still include a service agreement), they will also need to ‘endorse’ service providers via the NDIA, this will include plan management and support coordination providers.

There is only two times this need to be completed:

When a participant signs up to a provider.
When a participant starts a new plan, they will need to confirm that they want to continue using the provider in the new plan.

Endorsement process

Do providers need to be linked as a relationship/provider in the participant's NDIS portal?

For agency managed participants, yes, all providers need to be endorsed. Plan managed participants only need to endorse their plan manager – there is no requirement to endorse any other providers. For self-managed participants, there is no requirement to endorse providers.

Will participants (or their SC) need to endorse all their providers because of PACE?

For plan-managed participants, only the plan manager needs to be endorsed with the NDIA in order to pay other providers.

For agency-managed participants, all providers need to be endorsed by the participant.

For self-managed participants, there is no requirement to endorse providers. However, specialist disability accommodation or behavioral support providers must be endorsed and recorded with the NDIA.

How does a participant endorse a provider?

There are two ways a participant or nominee can endorse a provider:

Contact the NDIA National Call Centre on 1800 800 110 and advise that they would like to endorse the provider.
Via their “My NDIS contact” - this could be a Local Area Coordinator or Planner.

What happens when a participant transitions from one plan manager to another?

A participant may contact the NDIA directly to advise they want to change plan managers and they will have the choice and control to commence their new service immediately without a notice period.

Being recorded as a ‘my provider’

Providers can’t record themselves as my providers on a participant’s behalf.

If you work regularly with and deliver ongoing supports to NDIA-managed participants, you are encouraged to talk to them about being recorded as a provider for their plan.

Providers with existing service bookings, who deliver home and living supports, behaviour supports, and specialist disability accommodation need to ask participants to record them as my providers.

Providers of all other supports with existing service bookings will automatically be recorded as my providers when the participant's plan moves onto the PACE system.

Who can add or change a ‘my provider’?

Participants or their nominees can record, change or remove their providers at their plan meeting, plan implementation meeting or at any other time by talking to their ‘my NDIS contact’ or by calling the NDIA on 1800 800 110. 

Can a support coordinator endorse on a participant's behalf?

No, endorsement can only be done by the participant, their nominee, or their guardian. As a support coordinator, you cannot endorse providers on your participant's behalf.

Request for service process (Support Coordinators only)

What is the new request for service process?

Participants can connect with support coordinators by submitting a request for service through the NDIA. The request for service includes information about the participant’s goals, needs and circumstances.

This ensures that the support coordinator is linked to the participant’s account and as a provider.

Reporting templates (Support Coordinators only)

What are reporting templates?

The NDIA have introduced new reporting templates for support coordinators and psychosocial recovery coaches. They developed the reporting templates to help standardise provider reports and capture consistent information to help NDIA planners and NDIS partners prepare for check-ins and plan reassessments with participants.

These will now be required to be submitted via the Myplace portal.

Unregistered service providers and support coordinators

Do unregistered providers who submit their invoices to self-managed participants or plan managers need to do anything different?

No. Unregistered providers should continue to submit their invoices to self-managed participants or plan managers in the usual way. 

Unregistered support coordinators

We’ve heard that some unregistered support coordinators continue to experience issues accessing the new system to receive their requests for service.

In some cases, it is because they have not set up their PRODA account, or they don’t have an unregistered provider record created. So, review the NDIA’s tools, resources and checklists to establish your PRODA account now.

Once the account is created, unregistered providers need to request an unregistered provider record be created for their organisation. If you continue to have issues linking or logging onto the new system, call the NDIA on 1800 800 110 or emailing [email protected].

PACE mythbusters

Is it true the new system (PACE) doesn't let a provider disconnect from a participant? What happens when they move plan managers mid-plan?

For participants, the new system makes it easier to switch plan managers. Participants don’t need to advise their existing plan manager of their decision to switch. A participant now notifies the NDIA directly if they wish to change plan managers and they will be switched over immediately. The previous plan manager will be notified via the NDIA.

Will self-managed participants need to be registered under the new computer system (PACE)?

Remember PACE is just the name of the NDIA’s computer system, all plans will eventually use this system. Participants don’t need to ‘register’ for PACE, they just need to understand some things will be different when their plan is on the new system.

The new portal

What's the new ‘my NDIS’ provider portal?

The new ‘my NDIS’ provider portal is different to the ‘myplace’ provider portal.

Providers will only need to use the ‘my NDIS’ provider portal if they’re working with a participant who has an NDIS plan on PACE.

Before providers can see participant information in the ‘my NDIS’ provider portal, participants will be asked for their consent.

How will I know I’m on the PACE system?

You can find out if you’re on PACE during your next plan reassessment and new participants will be notified that they’re on PACE during their planning meeting.

How will providers know if a customer is on PACE?

There are a few ways a provider will be able to identify whether a customer is on PACE.

You’ll receive an error message when attempting to submit a single claim payment request. The message will advise that the customer has transitioned to the new system and the next steps you need to take.
Any existing service bookings will be end dated to the previous plan, you can view this in the ‘myplace’ provider portal report function.
You will no longer be able to create a service booking in the ‘myplace’ provider portal for that customer.

More visibility for providers

PACE will make it easier for providers to access a participant’s plan if they have the appropriate consent. Registered providers will be able to view a participant’s goals and nominee details. Plan managers will be able to view the parts of a plan they’re managing.

Your Plan Partners Dashboard

Will my Dashboard look different with PACE?

Yes, you’ll notice some slight formatting changes when you log in to your Dashboard, things like colour and shading.