You’ve delivered the support, you’ve submitted the invoice via the plan manager’s portal or email, and weeks later there’s still no payment. Calls go to voicemail. Emails get short replies promising “this week”. The participant’s plan still has funds. Something has stalled at the plan manager.
What’s usually going on
Three scenarios cover most stuck plan-managed invoices:
- NDIA claim rejected. The plan manager tried to claim against the participant’s NDIS plan and the claim bounced — wrong support category, exceeded budget, or a plan-management technicality. They should communicate this; many don’t.
- Internal cashflow problem. Some plan managers operate on thin margins or have been hit by a wave of claims. Your invoice is in the queue but not at the front.
- Provider-relationship issue. A participant complained, a service agreement is missing or contested, or the plan manager has decided your evidence isn’t strong enough.
The first formal step: a Letter of Demand
An informal email asking “any update?” achieves nothing once two or three have already gone unanswered. A Letter of Demand changes the dynamic. It:
- Names the specific invoices, dates, amounts, and total owed
- Cites the service agreement (or the NDIS Pricing Arrangements if there isn’t one)
- Sets a clear payment deadline — typically 7 or 14 days
- Spells out the next step if the deadline isn’t met (Final Demand, then NCAT/QCAT/VCAT)
- Goes on professional letterhead — signals you’ve taken external advice
Most plan managers prioritise providers who are about to escalate. A letter forces your file to the top of the pile.
How Claim Done handles it
You answer 5 questions about the debt, upload your invoices and any service agreement, and the AI drafts the demand letter citing the right Australian legislation. Flat $79. We email it directly to the plan manager (with a CC to the participant if that’s appropriate) and you get a copy on your dashboard.
What to expect after sending
The most common outcome is payment within 5–10 business days, often with an apology citing one of the three causes above. The next most common is a payment plan offer. The least common — but the reason a paper trail matters — is silence, in which case the next step is a Final Demand ($79) followed by a tribunal application ($79 plus the state filing fee).
Either way, you’ll have the documentation you need.