Support Coordination Pricing: Working With Frozen Rates
How support coordination pricing and frozen rates shape your margin, plus the billing discipline and cost controls that keep a practice viable in 2026-27.
What "frozen rates" actually means
The price limit is not your income
Why utilisation matters more than the rate
Building a cost base you can defend
The 90-day claim window changes your billing discipline
Conflict-of-interest scrutiny and how you invoice
Standard vs specialist: registration and its cost
The 2028 commissioning shift is the real pricing event
Common pricing mistakes that erode margin
A practical pricing and viability checklist
Frequently asked questions
Can I charge more than the NDIS support coordination price limit?
No. The price limit in the PAPL is the maximum you can bill to a participant's plan; billing above it is not claimable and can breach your obligations. You improve earnings by lifting your billable utilisation and controlling costs, not by exceeding the cap. Confirm the current limit and any regional loading in the PAPL before you quote.
Why have support coordination rates been frozen for so long?
The NDIA sets support coordination price limits annually and has held them flat for a seventh consecutive year, so they have not tracked wage or inflation growth. The freeze sits alongside a wider reform program moving coordination toward a commissioned panel from 1 July 2028, which may replace the current per-hour model entirely. Treat the frozen rate as a viability pressure to manage, not a temporary dip to wait out.
Is the support coordination price limit the same as a wage?
No. The price limit is the maximum you can invoice a plan; a wage is what an employed coordinator is paid under the SCHADS award (MA000100), enforced by Fair Work. They are separate instruments, and the difference between them — after on-costs — is your margin. Costing your practice as if the price limit is take-home is the most common way coordinators run at a loss.
How does the 90-day claim window affect my pricing?
From 1 December 2026 you have 90 days from delivery to submit a claim, down from two years. Because the rate is frozen, any claim you miss is lost revenue you cannot recover by billing more elsewhere. Move to a weekly or fortnightly claiming cycle and reconcile against plan funding regularly. Verify the commencement date against the primary sources before relying on it.
Should I move into specialist support coordination to earn more?
The Level 3 specialist limit (~$190.54/hr as at the 2026-27 PAPL) is higher, but specialist coordination requires mandatory registration with Core plus Specialist Module 4 audits, which add cost and overhead. Standard coordination registration is paused, so it currently carries no equivalent burden. Cost the audit cycle and your realistic specialist caseload against the higher rate before treating it as a fix for frozen standard rates.