If a participant is plan-managed, your invoices go to the plan manager, who pays you and then claims back from the NDIA. They are an intermediary, and the experience of working with them is mostly determined by which one the participant chose. There is no provider-side selection; you work with whoever the participant has appointed.
Get the right invoicing details on day one
- The plan manager’s billing email or portal upload mechanism.
- The participant’s NDIS number for inclusion on every invoice.
- The funding line your service comes out of (Improved Daily Living, etc).
- Any participant-specific reference number the plan manager uses.
Invoice promptly and consistently
Most plan managers process invoices within 5–10 business days; some are slower. The cleaner and more consistent your invoice format, the faster they pay. Late invoices are sometimes rejected outright if they fall outside a participant’s plan period.
When a payment stalls
First check: does the invoice reference the right participant and funding line? Most stalls are formatting. Second check: is the participant’s plan still active? An expired plan stops payment immediately. Third check: contact the plan manager directly — the slow ones respond to a phone call faster than to a chase email.
Keep the participant in the loop
If a payment is stuck for more than 30 days, the participant should know — not because they will fix it, but because they have a relationship with the plan manager that you do not. A polite request from them often unlocks what an email from you cannot.
Build a working relationship with the responsive ones
When you find a plan manager who is fast, accurate, and pleasant to work with, refer back to them when participants ask. The ecosystem is small; reciprocal goodwill is one of the things that smooths a lot of operational friction.