NDIS 2025 Pricing Review: Travel Rate Reduction and Rural Impact
- Maeve
- Jul 1
- 2 min read
As of today, July 1, 2025, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) will implement a major change to the way allied health professionals can claim for travel. Under the new structure, the claimable rate for provider travel will be reduced from 100% to 50% of the hourly rate. This change affects key allied health professionals including speech pathologists, occupational therapists, and physiotherapists, as well as others who provide outreach services.
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) introduced this price restructuring as part of its 2025 Annual Pricing Review, with the stated aim of promoting more efficient scheduling by providers and reducing what it described as travel claims that “are draining participant's plans faster than expected”.
While allied health professionals working in remote areas will still be able to charge 40% above the standard service rate, the reduction in travel finding poses a significant threat to service delivery in rural and regional communities. Providers have publicly expressed concern that this finding reduction may make it financially unviable to continue face-to-face services in geographically isolated areas. For Australians with disability living outside of metropolitan areas, this change may lead to a reduction in access to vital support services that support their health, development, and wellbeing.
In response to these pricing changes, a broad coalition of allied health professional bodies have launched an online petition, calling on the federal government to review and reverse the decision. The petition is supported by a number of peak organisations, including:
Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA),
Dietitians Australia
Australian Podiatry Association
Australian Psychological Society (APS)
Australian Association of Social Workers and Behaviour Supports Practitioners
Australia, among many other professional and advocacy groups.
The petition emphasises the unsustainability of the pricing changes, warning that they will undermine the financial viability of delivery high-quality, in-person allied health services in rural and regional Australia. The petition also highlights the likely long-term impact: a deepening of health inequalities and a loss of essential supports for those in isolated communities, and ultimately harm to the long-term wellbeing of participants.
As of now, the petition has already gathered more than 51,600 signatures and continues to gain traction.
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