It is completely normal to check your invoices. It is your plan, your funding, and your right to understand every line. Asking for more detail is appropriate any time.
Official rules: NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Pricing Limits
https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/pricing-arrangements
Start with clear ground rules
Before services begin, agree in writing how billing will work. A simple service agreement should set out:
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Rates for each support type, including higher rates for evenings, nights, weekends and public holidays
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When travel, non-face-to-face work and report writing can be billed, and how it will be recorded
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Cancellation terms and what counts as short-notice
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Minimum shift lengths or call-out fees if any
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Who approves extras before they are charged
What a clear invoice looks like
A good invoice is easy to read. It should show:
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Date and support item code with a plain description
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Hours, rate and total for each item
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Any travel or non-face-to-face time, with a short note of what was done and, for travel, the time and distance
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Provider details such as ABN and who to contact with questions
Some providers’ systems do not print start and finish times on the invoice. They should be able to provide the logged times on request.
Checks most people find useful
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Rates against the official limits
Price limits apply to all providers. No one should be charging above the published limits for price-controlled supports. Use the Pricing Arrangements to compare. -
Travel charges
Providers should explain in advance when they will charge time and kilometres, and how they minimise costs through scheduling. If a travel entry looks large, ask for the time, distance and rule applied. -
Non-face-to-face time
Must be specific to you and connected to your support needs. Typical business admin should not be billed to your plan. Ask what was done and for how long. -
Cancellations
If you are charged a short-notice cancellation but you gave enough notice, ask for a correction. If they keep the charge, you can ask which Pricing Arrangements rule they used. -
Boundary rates
If a service went past a time boundary and the whole period was billed at the higher rate, ask the provider to confirm their time records and the rule used. -
Double-ups or overlaps
Look for two workers billed at the same time when only one was needed, or an AHA and a therapist both billing a full hour for the same task without agreement. -
Work outside scope
Training new staff, general admin or unrelated tasks should not be charged to you.
Yes, rorting happens
Most providers do the right thing. Some do not. It is sensible to check invoices and not assume everything is fine just because a provider sounds caring. A polished bedside manner can hide poor practice.
Common ways invoices get padded
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Rounding up time on every entry so 5 minutes becomes 15, then 30, then an hour
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Upcoding to a higher-intensity item when standard support was delivered
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Charging one-to-one rates for group activities or claiming both group and individual at the same time
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Inflated travel with vague notes, or charging travel where it is not allowed
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Non-face-to-face padding such as “planning,” “emails” or “team meetings” that are not directly about you
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Duplicate billing across two providers for the same period
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Therapy assistant billed as a therapist at a higher rate
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Public holiday or evening rates applied when the timing does not qualify
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Unapproved report-writing marathons without an agreed purpose or time cap
If you spot patterns like these, ask for logs and corrections. If concerns continue, change providers and consider reporting serious misconduct through the NDIA complaints or fraud channels.
Who to ask for help
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Plan managers can check invoices against the Pricing Arrangements before payment.
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Support coordinators can sense-check tricky items and help you talk with the provider.
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LACs can explain rules in plain language.
Be cautious relying on advice from other providers about billing. They may be well-meaning but wrong outside their service type.
How a provider responds tells you a lot
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A transparent provider answers questions clearly, amends an error, and explains how they will prevent it next time.
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If a provider proves accuracy multiple times and you continue to challenge ordinary invoices without reasonable cause, the relationship can suffer. If the admin load to manage your account is consistently much higher than for other clients, ongoing supports can become difficult to sustain.
Simple script to query an invoice
“Hi [Name], I am checking my latest invoice. Could you please send the breakdown for [date/item code], including the logged start and finish times and the Pricing Arrangements rule you applied for [travel/cancellation/boundary rate]? If non-face-to-face time is included, can you note the task and duration? Thank you.”
If you are on the right side of things, hold the line
If a charge is not permitted and you have a qualified professional or a knowledgeable plan manager backing you, it is reasonable to withhold approval and request a corrected invoice. Keep your messages polite and specific.
Important: if a provider has billed within the rules and can show evidence, and you refuse to pay, they can choose to bill you directly and, if needed, take legal action to recover the debt. If you are genuinely in the right, stand up for it. If not, consider the consequences and resolve it quickly.
Service agreement must-haves
Consider adding:
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“Provider will supply invoices with item codes, hours and rates, and provide logged times on request.”
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“Travel and non-face-to-face work will be billed only as agreed and described on invoices.”
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“If a short-notice cancellation fee is charged, the provider will identify the Pricing Arrangements rule on request.”
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“Any non-standard charges will be pre-approved by me (or my representative).”
Bottom line
Checking invoices is part of choice and control. Ask for detail any time you need it. Use the Pricing Arrangements as your single source of truth, set clear billing rules upfront, and expect invoices that make sense. If something looks off, ask. If it is correct, pay promptly. If it is not, request a fix and hold the line with evidence.