The Other Side of the Story: What the Media Isn’t Saying About NDIS Therapists
If you’ve read the headlines lately, you may have noticed a worrying trend: NDIS providers — especially therapists — are being unfairly scapegoated, accused of price gouging or draining the system. In reality, this narrative acts as a smoke-and-mirrors distraction from the deeper systemic issues affecting both participants and providers.
As an occupational therapist and small business owner, I want to offer another perspective. One that isn’t often included in the clickbait — but that deeply affects the care and access NDIS participants receive.
Seven Years. Zero Change.
As of July 2025, the NDIS hourly rate for therapy supports has remained frozen at $193.99 for the seventh year in a row (Occupational Therapy Australia, 2025). That means occupational therapists have been expected to absorb rising costs of rent, insurance, travel, wages, superannuation, administration, and technology — without any increase in what they can charge for their time.
To put this in context- Since 2019, inflation has risen significantly, and the Fair Work Commission just approved a 3.5% wage increase — but the price paid for OT services hasn’t moved by even one cent (Occupational Therapy Australia, 2025).
Travel Cuts and Hidden Costs
The NDIA recently cut the travel reimbursement rate in half for providers delivering home-based services — the same services often required for assistive technology prescriptions, home modifications, and safety assessments.
That means:
· We are now paid 50% of the hourly rate to travel to your home
· Travel time is capped, regardless of real distance
· Parking fees, admin time, and planning hours often go unpaid
It’s not about providers “rorting the system” — it’s about trying to deliver essential services without going broke in the process.
Therapists Are Leaving — And It’s Hurting Participants
This pricing freeze is not just a spreadsheet issue. It’s a human one.
In the past year alone, at least 8% of OTs have left the NDIS space, affecting over 7,000 participants (Occupational Therapy Australia, 2025). For many, the decision wasn't about passion or values — it was about survival. Practices are closing. Waitlists are growing. Services are shrinking.
In 2023–24, 60% of OT practices expected to report a loss or just break even (Occupational Therapy Australia, 2025). That figure is expected to rise in 2025–26. For small providers, it’s increasingly impossible to continue offering the same quality and flexibility without cutting corners — and that’s something most of us refuse to do.
What We Really Do — And Why It Costs More Than You Think
Occupational therapists don’t just run appointments. We travel, write reports, coordinate with other providers, source assistive tech, develop resources, advocate, and keep up with the complex paperwork and administrative demands of the NDIS. We offer evidence-based therapy tailored to your needs and goals — all of which takes time behind the scenes.
When travel costs are halved (as they now are), and therapy remains capped, we are often subsidising that time out of our own pocket.
We’re not inflating prices. We’re absorbing costs.
Not to mention, many of us go above and beyond by helping you plan, monitor, and prioritise how your therapy budget is used throughout your plan. This involves additional layers of admin-heavy planning — all of which we do without any financial reimbursement. You won’t find this level of unpaid support expected in most other systems.
Why This Matters for You
This isn’t just about fairness for therapists — it’s about sustainability for the entire NDIS.
When providers leave, you lose access to the supports that help you live, work, and connect in your community. When prices are capped below sustainable levels, small, personalised providers disappear — and participants are left with fewer options.
The current system now discourages face-to-face care, limits appointment length, reduces travel, and makes home visits less viable — all of which directly undermine your choice and control. Ironically, these are the very practices the NDIA once
promoted, proudly citing research that showed therapy delivered within daily living environments as best practice (NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, 2023).
For many participants, home-based support isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity. Due to disability or life circumstances, attending a clinic simply isn’t possible. And with recent changes to travel funding, it’s hard to see how essential services like home modifications will continue if OTs can no longer afford to absorb the costs associated with visiting clients in their homes.
A Crisis of Trust
Trust in the NDIS is at an all-time low. Many participants and providers feel unheard, with reforms happening to us rather than with us.
We were promised a scheme that focused on people, not just budgets. But today, both participants and providers feel like we’re navigating a system that’s becoming more bureaucratic and less human — where sustainability, access, and connection are all under threat.
What Can You Do?
You can be part of the solution — and we’re so grateful for those of you who already are. Here’s how:
· Speak up: If you value your therapist, let your local MP know. Tell the NDIA. Your voice carries weight.
· Ask questions: If you see a provider charging above the capped rate, ask why. It may be because they’re unregistered and not bound by NDIS price limits — and using a dual invoice/ gap fee model to stay afloat while still supporting you.
· Choose ethically: Many small providers aren’t trying to get rich — they’re trying to survive while delivering quality, person-centred care.
A System Worth Saving
The NDIS is one of the most important social reforms in Australian history. But it only works if the people delivering the care can afford to keep going.
There is no NDIS without allied health. And there is no dignity, access, or choice without sustainable support for the people who make that care possible.
If you have questions about pricing, sustainability, or how we operate at Wise Mind OT, please reach out. Transparency is important to us — and so is keeping this work going.
With hope,
Sherry
References
National Disability Insurance Agency. (2025). NDIS pricing arrangements and price limits 2025–26 (Version 1.0). https://www.ndis.gov.au
NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. (2023, July). Evidence-informed practice guide. https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-07/Evidence%20Informed%20Practice%20Guide%20%28July%202023%29.pdf
Occupational Therapy Australia. (2025). Occupational therapists warn NDIS pricing freeze threatens viability of supports. https://connect.otaus.com.au/news/details/9c8fc648-260e-4cf2-8bbf-593c947a196b
Occupational Therapy Australia. (2025, May 28). OTA reflects on sector insights from 2025 DSC NDIS conference. https://connect.otaus.com.au/news/details/76ae7d32-486e-4351-bc6b-7d70ef6f208d
