Australia’s care sector has changed dramatically this past decade—and will continue to do so into the future. From the NDIS revolutionising how people with disability receive care, to Support at Home ensuring older Australians retain independence in their own homes, providers must navigate a complex ecosystem of funding streams, regulatory requirements, and digital systems.

Given the overlap between the NDIS and Support at Home – supporting vulnerable Australians, albeit different cohorts – we’re seeing more providers wanting to work across both schemes. Honestly, we think that this is a good thing. But after years of learning lessons (mostly the hard way) working in the NDIS, and now Support at Home, we accumulated a lot of knowledge about what works best, particularly with regards to billing.

This article unpacks the similarities and differences in billing practices, explores APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) and digital integration, and best practice for claiming, to help any NDIS provider looking to jump into Support at Home.

Understanding the Programs: NDIS and Support at Home

Let’s quickly clarify what each program is and how they operate:

NDIS in a Nutshell

The NDIS is a nationally funded disability support scheme that helps Australians with a permanent and significant disability live independently and engage in community life. As we know, the NDIS is big on social and economic participation. NDIS providers can deliver a wide range of supports—from personal care to therapies—and claim payment one of three ways: through the NDIA, a plan manager, or the participant if self-managed.

Support at Home Program

Launched on 1 November 2025, Support at Home replaced the Home Care Packages Program and Short-Term Restorative Care and will eventually replace the Commonwealth Home Support Program, too. Simply, its government-funded services help older Australians live independently in their homes for longer. The program has its own classifications, service definitions, and consumer contribution requirements, distinct from the NDIS.

As we can gather, they serve different cohorts—people with disability versus older Australians assessed for aged care needs—but there are many similarities, too.

Billing Structures: Same, same, but different

Billing for services is where many providers encounter their first practical challenge. While both the NDIS and Support at Home are government-funded, their billing mechanisms, digital interfaces, and compliance requirements differ.

Key Similarities

1. Service Agreements Required: Both programs hinge on service agreements between individuals (participants or care recipients) and providers, setting out what services will be delivered and how they will be paid.
2. Government Funding: Whether through an NDIS plan or a Support at Home classification, the government subsidises approved services. Providers must accurately account for service delivery to receive payment.
3. Digital Claim Submission: Both rely on digital systems to submit claims—for the NDIS, this is via the myplace/myNDIS provider portals or APIs connected to NDIA systems, while aged care is via the Aged Care Provider Portal (ACPP) or business-to-government software integrated with Services Australia’s systems.
4. Record-Keeping and Compliance: Providers must maintain accurate, auditable records of services delivered, invoicing, client agreements, and financial reporting. Both programs are subject to regulatory oversight and potential audit.

Key Differences in Billing Practices

An important note for Support at Home

For Support at Home, you must also be mindful of the need to provide monthly participant statements. This means you must maintain ledgers for individual participants and each of their budgets (yes: they’ll often have several).

As mentioned above, co-contributions are another key difference for Support at Home providers. You will need to build a payment collection service for co-contributions and services that exceed or aren’t covered by budgets.

The Rise of APIs: Digital Integration in Billing and Operations

Technology is transforming how providers interact with government systems. At the heart of this shift are APIs, which allow software systems to exchange data securely and efficiently. APIs sound complicated, but they don’t need to be.

NDIS APIs

The NDIA has developed APIs to let providers, plan managers and software developers interact more seamlessly with NDIA systems. These APIs enable you to:

• access participant data and submit claims
• integrate with provider management systems
• streamline digital workflows and reduce manual data entry

Access to these APIs is subject to approval by the NDIA’s Digital Partnership Office, with requirements around cyber security and provider authentication. Obviously, privacy is paramount when accessing data via APIs.

The move toward API-driven integration reflects a broader shift within the NDIS toward more connected, efficient digital ecosystems, reducing the need for manual claim submissions through portals.

Software as a service (Saas), including quickclaim’s flagship application, has been developed to help make the NDIS APIs more accessible to providers noting that the APIs are extremely complex and require users to maintain extensive cyber security certification.

APIs in the Support at Home Program

Unlike the NDIS, Services Australia developed the Support at Home scheme to operate with an ‘API-first’ approach, meaning that the number and capability of APIs is far larger than the NDIS and much of their functionality is not available through the Aged Care Provider Portal (ACPP). This approach has encouraged a growing ecosystem of:

• Integrated software connected to Services Australia systems for claims instead of manual portal entry.
• APIs to access care recipient and service data, ensuring claims are based on accurate, up-to-date information.

These APIs help you:

• automating claim submissions
• retrieve client authorisations and budgets
• sync service delivery data for accurate billing

For providers transitioning from NDIS billing to Support at Home, this trend toward integrated APIs will be familiar—just mapped to a different set of program rules and data structures.

What should providers consider when operating across both programs?

As an NDIS provider considering or already working in the Support at Home aged care space, here’s what you must consider:

1. Understanding program eligibility and service definitions

Services that count as NDIS supports under disability funding may not map perfectly to Support at Home aged care categories. Providers must:

• Review the Support at Home service list and classification structure, which has its own funding rules and capped budgets.
• Understand consumer contribution requirements for aged care services, especially for non-clinical supports.

Failure to align services correctly can lead to billing errors or under-claiming.

2. Managing multiple digital systems

Operating across NDIS and aged care means managing:

• myplace/myNDIS provider portals or integrating the NDIS APIs maintained by the Digital Partnership Office.
• Aged Care Provider Portal (ACPP) or integrating the APIs maintained by Services Australia.

Providers should invest in software systems that integrate both claim workflows—reducing administrative burden and improving accuracy. Many modern care management platforms offer combined support for NDIS and aged care billing workflows, including rostering, invoicing, and compliance tracking.

3. Being audit ready

Both sectors demand rigorous financial reporting and record keeping:

• NDIS billing must align with the NDIS Price Guide and service agreements.
• Support at Home requires compliance with the Aged Care Act and Support at Home program rules, including potential financial reporting obligations under aged care law.

Providers should ensure their accounting systems can handle multiple funding streams, track contributions, and generate reports for audits or compliance checks.

4. Building API-driven workflows

API integration isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s becoming essential:

• Reduce errors from manual entry
• Speed up claims processing
• Get real-time insights into client budgets and authorisations
• Ensure your systems meet security and cyber requirements for accessing government APIs, particularly in the case of NDIS.

Providers should work with technology partners who understand the specific API requirements of both the NDIS and aged care systems, including secure authentication, data privacy, and compliance.

5. Training your workforce

Billing correctly under two systems means your team must be trained not just in service delivery but also program compliance, portal navigation, and claims processing. Investing in staff upskilling—especially in digital systems and API-driven workflows—equals long-term accuracy and efficiency.

What should you do next?

Okay, so you’re an NDIS provider and you’re ready to click go for Support at Home. Here’s our top tips:

1. Conduct a Capability Assessment: Identify where your current systems and processes align or diverge from the needs of Support at Home billing.
2. Choose Integrated Software: Work with solutions that support both NDIS and aged care billing, including APIs for seamless data exchange.
3. Build Compliance Frameworks: Ensure your service agreements, record-keeping, and financial reporting are audit-ready across both sectors.
4. Engage with Government Systems Early: Apply for API access where possible and start testing integrations to avoid bottlenecks later.
5. Monitor Regulatory Changes: Both the NDIS and aged care sectors are evolving. Staying informed about changes to pricing, program rules, and digital requirements will help you adapt quickly.

For NDIS providers, expanding into Support at Home offers opportunity—but only if supported by clear understanding, robust billing practices, and strong digital infrastructure. While the NDIS and Support at Home operate in different policy spaces, they share common needs for accurate billing, compliance, and digital workflows.

APIs are at the heart of this digital transformation, enabling providers to integrate systems, automate claims, and improve accuracy across service delivery. Whether you’re submitting NDIS claims through approved NDIA APIs or lodging Support at Home claims via integrated software to the aged care portal, the future of billing is digital, connected, and increasingly efficient.

We get that this is a lot. As always, quickclaim is here to help, so reach out to our team if you need support in automating your NDIS or Support at Home billing processes.