As aged care providers settle into Support at Home, we thought it would be timely and beneficial to look at another program that’s done it all before – the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) – and use these insights to help you prepare for the months and years ahead.
We’ve been working within the NDIS this whole decade, and although we recognise that two programs are different in purpose and design, the NDIS offers a useful reference point for understanding what can happen when a sector shifts to market-based pricing, increased transparency and regulated price caps.
This article highlights what we’ve learned from working within the NDIS – to help Support at Home providers remain cashflow positive through reform.
1. Price caps shape provider behaviour sooner than expected
When the NDIS introduced regulated price limits, providers quickly realised that these caps significantly influence operating decisions. We saw providers who had not modelled their true cost-to-deliver struggle with tightening margins once regulated pricing came into effect.
For Support at Home, price caps will begin on 1 July 2026. The NDIS experience shows the value of preparing early – not when caps arrive, but well before – and taking time to accurately model costs in the context of price caps.
2. Cost visibility becomes critical during transition periods
A key learning from the NDIS rollout was that providers must understand their real service delivery costs. Organisations that lacked visibility over labour, travel, administration and overhead components found it harder to adapt to capped pricing. We know just how important visibility is for a provider’s sustainability.
For Support at Home providers, investing in cost-modelling tools, systems and internal reporting now can make future adjustments significantly easier. A wait-and-see approach simply leads to more work down the line.
3. Service pricing tends to shift in the first few years – and never stops
After the NDIS launched, service pricing moved through a period of flux as providers adjusted to new rules, workforce pressures and changing demand patterns. Some supports became more expensive to deliver, while others were affected by price caps. With new price limits introduced each year in the NDIS, accounting for inflation and other real-world impacts, service pricing is also constantly evolving and changing.
Support at Home will follow its own trajectory, but the NDIS demonstrates that pricing changes – especially early in a new funding model – are normal and should be planned for.
4. Operational efficiency becomes a major competitive advantage
In the NDIS environment, providers who invested in efficient systems, automated workflows and accurate claiming processes were better positioned to maintain financial sustainability. We’re big believers in automation at quickclaim, knowing that it saves our NDIS providers valuable time and resources.
The same lesson applies to Support at Home. Providers who streamline administration now – especially billing, documentation and evidence management – will reduce pressure on teams and improve long-term viability.
5. Clear, transparent pricing builds trust
A defining feature of the NDIS is that providers are expected to publish clear, consistent pricing. The organisations who adopted transparency early found it easier to engage participants and reduce confusion. Within the NDIS, many providers point to this within their service agreements, but publishing online is a good opportunity to build trust.
Support at Home already requires providers to publish and explain common prices. Adopting transparency as a proactive practice can support stronger client relationships and smoother onboarding.
6. Early profitability can shift as price limits tighten
Many NDIS providers experienced a brief period of stronger revenue before regulated price limits and sector adjustments reduced margins. The early years of any major reform often bring temporary uplift, followed by stabilisation. As such, those providers who planned for a period of stabilisation came out on top.
For Support at Home providers, the lesson is to use the pre-cap period to strengthen financial controls, refine pricing models and streamline operations before 2026, readying for that period of stabilisation.
Conclusion
We firmly believe that the NDIS provides valuable guidance on what can happen as a sector transitions to price regulation and increased oversight. For Support at Home providers, the clearest lessons are to prepare early, strengthen financial and operational systems, build transparency into pricing and invest in efficiency before caps apply.
While no two programs are the same, the insights gained from a decade of NDIS evolution offer a practical roadmap for navigating the next phase of Support at Home with confidence. We’ve helped our NDIS providers through reform, and we’re ready to help you through yours too.
