It seems like cuts are already happening. Be prepared (I wasn't)
Throughout my application last year I was told by planners, LAC, and other NDIA staff that my first plan would be intended to "fund an functional capacity assessment". The evidence I applied with confirmed eligibility, but they were clinician reports, and they said that NDIA "needed to see it from an OT". They explained that OT reports provide evidence in exactly the right wording that NDIA wants to see: a focus on functioning.
I had my gripes with that - seems a waste of money since the evidence was already there, but whatever; after all, everyone I spoke to at the NDIA explained that this was very common, and not to worry, because "first plans" are "usually very generic", and after the FCA was submitted, my plan would much better reflect my actual struggles and goals.
"Don't worry, this is just a very generic plan to fund an FCA, once we have that your plan will be much better." I swear to god I was told this by at least 3 different people plus my LAC.
After months of issues (including a massive delay with a "wording mistake" in my plan that meant the plan manager couldn't access my funding and it had to go through an entire internal review, wasting even more time and money), I finally got the FCA. It took weeks and was really stressful and obviously incredibly expensive. (Not to worry, once it's submitted everything will be okay!)
Finally submitted the FCA. The day the budget drops, I get this rejection email:
>The request to change your plan has been formally declined at this stage as the delegate determined that there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate a need for increased supports beyond what is currently included in your plan.
WHY DID YOU EVEN MAKE ME GET IT THEN???? I feel like I'm being fucking gaslit. Why did literally every person I spoke to during the process - including the actual planner - keep saying that this was a "generic plan" that was "just to fund the FCA"????
And the current plan is incredibly generic to the point where if I described my application evidence or disabilities you would think the plan was made for the wrong person. The "goals" are incredibly random and kind of absurd (I didn't even write them! The LAC did! I didn't know I had any input in what the 'goals' were!)
Without giving away too many personal details/exact numbers, my plan as it is would fund maybe a single 50 minute OT appointment a month, if some months were skipped. That's it. Oh, and the cost of plan managers to look at the invoices once a month. I'm sure you can imagine how much that reflects the OT recommendations in the FCA let alone my actual needs.
The cost of appealing this is going to cost taxpayers more than what's even in my plan.
I just want to fucking live. I don't want anything excessive or luxury or expensive. I want to be able to feed myself, leave the house, go to the grocery store. I'm not even asking to be HAPPY it's literally just the bare minimum of surviving each day without wanting to off myself because of my disabilities. Being able to see an OT/other therapist consistently so that I can BUILD CAPACITY. I don't fucking want to be on the NDIS!! I WANT to improve my capacity so I can rely on myself MORE!! If I could fund it myself I 10000% would.
I did literally everything the NDIA asked of me and followed every recommendation even when I thought it was a waste of money. They assured me at every step that my plan would be "better" (not even necessarily a lot more funding, just changed so it actually reflects my quote unquote "FUNCTIONAL CAPACITY" that they treat like the fucking gospel).
I cannot get over the fact that the letter quotes "value for money" but the cost of appealing is so much higher than what my plan currently is or would be if it had been changed to reflect actual needs.
And of course that this decision comes the day the budget drops.
Anyway, it probably goes without saying that the stress from this is insane, I'm emotional, sp if any one nation-boot licking lurker (I know you're in here) wants to have a crack at how I probably deserve it/am a dole bludging rorter/NDIS fraudster I would simply love for you to come over and help me out yourself. Seriously my shower is mouldy as fuck and the drain is covered in slime and I'd LOVE help cleaning it.