Can Providers Charge You for Cancelled NDIS Appointments?

Key information:

• Most providers can charge up to 100% of the service fee for a short notice cancellation, but only if you have a signed service agreement setting out these terms.
• ‘Short notice’ means less than 7 days for disability support worker related supports, or less than 2 clear business days for other supports (like therapies).
• No-shows (missing an appointment without notice) can also be charged at 100% of the fee.
• Providers can't charge if you gave the required notice, if they found other billable work for the worker, or for costs they didn't actually incur.
• If a provider cancels your appointment, they can't claim any fees from your NDIS plan budgets.

When can NDIS providers charge for cancellations?

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) sets rules about what providers can and cannot charge – including rules around cancellations and what’s fair for both parties involved.

If you have a service agreement showing you have agreed to the terms, your provider can charge you up to 100% of their service fee for a short notice cancellation. Short notice can be either seven days or two full business days, depending on what kind of support it is.

Disability support worker related costs

For DSW-related costs like core supports and personal care, short notice is when you cancel less than seven days before the scheduled start time.

For most other supports

For non-DSW bookings like therapies and capacity building supports, short notice means less than two clear business days before your appointment. Weekends and public holidays do not count as part of the two days.

Example: If you had a physio booking for 11am on Tuesday, you would need to let the provider know you need to cancel it before 11am on the previous Friday.

Missing an appointment without notice

Providers can also charge in the event of ‘no-shows’, which is when you miss the appointment without any notice at all.

When can’t providers charge a cancellation fee?

The good news about having NDIA-set rules for cancellations? They protect your interests, too. Providers can’t charge you cancellation fees:

1. When you’ve provided the right notice (two days or seven days, depending on the support).
2. If they were able to find alternative billable work for the worker involved (though this can be hard to track unless you specifically ask).
3. For any costs that didn’t occur – like claiming travel costs, but they didn’t travel to you because the appointment didn’t happen.
4. If you don’t have a signed service agreement with a cancellation policy, showing you have agreed to the terms for short notice cancellation fees.

What if the provider cancels?

If the provider cancels your booking or appointment, they can’t claim any fees from your NDIS plan.

How do cancellations work in group-based supports?

If some of your supports are delivered in a group-based arrangement, you won’t be charged extra if someone can’t make it.

If a replacement can’t be found to fill the space, the participant who cancels within the short notice period (whether that’s you or someone else) can be billed the full agreed rate. Everyone else will also pay this agreed rate, which is the same as if the full group had attended.

How to avoid NDIS provider cancellation fees

The only sure way to prevent getting short notice cancellation fees is to avoid cancelling last minute. Alas, life happens! Sometimes you may not be able to give enough notice to avoid cancellation fees.

In this case, you should try to contact your provider as soon as possible once you know you’re not going to be able to make the booking work. Providers may choose to waive short notice cancellation fees in certain circumstances, but this is not guaranteed – it’s at the provider’s discretion. Having a good, mutually respectful relationship with your support workers can help in this situation.

There’s not a limit on the number of times you can cancel or no-show, but cancellation fees can get expensive fast and eat up your budget. If you cancel often, your provider will likely reach out to try and understand what’s going on. Providers have a duty of care to you; additionally, the NDIA (which monitors claims) may start asking the provider for answers if there is an “unusual number” of cancellations.

Tip: When cancelling, try to do so by email or SMS so you have a timestamped copy of the message. That way you can show when you contacted your provider or support worker if you need to dispute a claim later.

What to do if you think you’ve been charged incorrectly

You’re allowed to speak up if you think a provider has charged you incorrectly. Remember that mistakes can happen, and it's worth speaking to your provider first to see if they can put things to rights before taking things further. You can also ask your support coordinator or local area coordinator (LAC) for help with this.

If you’re a plan managed participant, your plan manager can:

• Provide you with guidance regarding you or your provider’s obligations under the rules.
• Assist with a refund where your provider has incorrectly claimed.
• Set up future claims from the provider to they are routed to you for approval first, and you can check if you’re happy with the charges before we submit the claim.

Your plan manager won’t directly engage with a provider on your behalf to dispute the charge or request a refund.

If you’re not happy with the outcome after trying to resolve the billing with your provider, you can contact the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission to lodge a complaint.

Related: How do I know my NDIS provider isn’t ripping me off?

Stay up-to-date on your plan’s finances with NDSP

NDSP offers expert NDIS plan management services to empower participants living with disability across Australia. Our knowledgeable staff and user-friendly Nappa portal offer comprehensive support to manage your NDIS plan, including financial reporting, invoice processing, and budget tracking.

We can also help coordinate service agreements between you and your support workers. We’ll also check the resulting claims to make sure they are compliant with the latest NDIS price guidance, and your plan as written.

If you’re new to the NDIS or you’re looking for a new plan manager, why not get in touch with our team today to find out more about how NDSP’s services can help you.