What happens when an NDIS participant cancels your NDIS service?

If a participant does not arrive (no show) or cancels with short notice an NDIS provider can charge 100% of the fee associated with the activity, subject to any service agreement between the provider and the participant.

A provider can only charge for this cancellation (or no show) if they have not been able to find other billable work for that cancelled period.

What is a short notice cancellation?

A cancellation is a short notice cancellation if the NDIS participant:

• Does not show up for a scheduled support within a reasonable time, OR
• Is not present at the agreed place and within a reasonable time when the provider is travelling to deliver the support; OR
• Has given less than seven (7) clear days’ notice for a support

What about if the participant was in a group?

For supports delivered to a group of participants:

If a participant cancels their attendance and if the provider is unable find another participant to attend the group session in their place AND the other requirements for a short notice cancellation are met:

• The provider is permitted to bill the participant who has made the short notice cancellation (at the previously agreed rate).
• All other participants in the group should also be billed as though all participants had attended the group. 

When can the provider claim?

Providers can only claim from a participant’s plan for a Short Notice Cancellation of the delivery of a support item to the participant if all of the following conditions are met:

• The NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits indicates that providers can claim for Short Notice Cancellations in respect of that support item; AND
• The proposed charges for the activities comply with the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits; AND
• The provider has the agreement of the participant in advance (that is, the service agreement between the participant and provider should specify that Short Notice Cancellations can be claimed); AND
• The provider was not able to find alternative billable work for the relevant worker and are required to pay the worker for the time that would have been spent providing the support.

How to claim for a short notice cancellation of an NDIS service?

1. Use the same support item as would have been used if the support had been delivered.
2. Use the “Cancellation” option in the NDIS Myplace portal.

When making a claim for a cancelled support the NDIS provider should claim for the full-agreed price of the support and specify that the claim is for a cancellation.

Alternatively, if you have a cancellation clause in the participant service agreement, this would over-ride the NDIA rules or cancellation.

How many cancellations can an NDIS provider recover?

There is no limit on the number of short notice cancellations (or no shows) that a provider can claim in respect of a participant.

However, providers have a duty of care to their participants and if a participant has an unusual number of cancellations then the provider should a reason why they are occurring.

The NDIA will monitor claims for cancellations and may contact providers who have a participant with an unusual number of cancellations.