The National Disability Insurance Agency has reduced travel reimbursements for allied health professionals, triggering warnings from rural providers who say the changes threaten care delivery for Australians with disabilities in remote communities.
The travel allowance cap was part of broader pricing updates released in the 2025 Annual Pricing Review. Alongside changes to support item pricing and a stronger emphasis on telehealth, the reforms are designed to control costs and improve long-term sustainability of the NDIS.
But allied health workers in regional and remote Australia say the changes are pushing them to reduce coverage areas or exit rural service altogether.
“Since my therapist stopped coming to my home because of the new travel rules, it’s been so much harder to get the support I need. I live just outside the city, but now I have to travel far to appointments, which is exhausting and expensive. It feels like the system is making it harder for people like me to get care.” said one of the NDIS participants in the outer Melbourne region.
Many providers report that travel expenses now exceed what they can recover through capped reimbursements, leading to financial losses of $200–$300 per trip in some cases.
Roaming Therapy, which supports NDIS participants through mobile care, noted that small practices and sole traders are among the hardest hit. “The financial strain is already forcing adjustments in how far and how often our providers can travel,” a spokesperson said. They also published a detailed breakdown of the 2025 NDIS price guidelines to help participants understand the changes before booking a therapy.
A June survey conducted by Rural Health Pro found that 72% of rural therapists anticipate reducing services in the next six months. Staff shortages, recruitment challenges, and burnout are compounding the pressure.
For NDIS participants, the consequences are already becoming clear: longer wait times, fewer in-person sessions, and an increasing shift toward telehealth. While virtual services can be effective in many cases, therapists argue that some forms of therapy such as hands-on physiotherapy or developmental support for children require face-to-face delivery.
“The risk is that rural participants will receive a second-tier experience compared to urban areas,” said one allied health policy advisor.
Advocacy groups including the National Rural Health Alliance and Rural Health Pro have called on the NDIA to reconsider the travel cap and introduce rural pricing loadings. Researchers at the University of Sydney’s Centre for Disability Research and Policy also warn the changes may widen the equity gap in Australia’s disability care system.
Suggested solutions include:
- ● Reintroducing flexible travel allowances or loadings
- ● Funding hybrid care models that blend telehealth with outreach
- ● Offering workforce incentives for rural clinicians
- ● Consulting more closely with rural providers in pricing reviews
The long-term impact of these changes remains uncertain. Providers are exploring new service models and scaling back service radii, but without policy changes, health professionals warn that some regions may be left without critical allied health services.
The consequences of the 2025 NDIS pricing reforms will depend on ongoing evaluation, provider adaptation, and possible policy revisions. Continued engagement with rural stakeholders may be necessary to avoid further reductions in access for remote communities.