What Happens After You Sign Up With a Plan Manager?

For many participants, choosing a plan manager is the easy part. What happens next is the part that feels unclear.

The process is simpler than most people expect. You sign a service agreement. Your plan manager is connected to your NDIS plan. Your providers are set up. Invoices start being processed.

Most of this happens within a week or two of your first conversation. Your supports continue. Your daily routine does not change.

This guide explains what happens after you sign up with a plan manager, step by step, so you know what to expect from the moment you decide to go ahead.

Your First Conversation

The first step is a conversation, not paperwork.

When you contact First2Care in person, by phone, online, or through our website, a member of our team will talk with you about your plan, your situation, and what you are looking for.

This is not a sales call. It is a conversation to make sure plan management suits you, and to answer your questions before you decide anything. If you decide to go ahead, the next step is your service agreement.

What is a service agreement, and what does it cover?

A service agreement is the formal document that sets out the arrangement between you and your plan manager.

The NDIS recommends having a service agreement signed before your plan manager starts processing invoices for you. At First2Care, we always do this first. For plan management, service agreements are short and straightforward. Yours will cover four things.

• What your plan manager will do for you. Processing your provider invoices, tracking your budgets across all support categories, sending you a Monthly Budget Statement, and answering your NDIS questions.

• How the cost for your plan management will be funded. Plan management is funded by the NDIS through a separate Improved Life Choices budget. This is a funding line included in your plan for this purpose. It does not reduce any other part of your funding, and there is nothing to pay yourself. Read more: Is NDIS Plan Management Really Free?

• How to change plan managers. Your service agreement will include a notice period. At First2Care this is 30 days written notice if you decide to leave allowing for any outstanding invoices to be processed prior. You are not committed for the length of your plan.

• How to raise concerns. A good service agreement sets out a clear process for reporting problems, so you know what to do if something is not right.

At First2Care, we write service agreements in everyday words. Your specialist explains each part before you sign, and you can take as much time as you need. Signing is done electronically, so there is no printing.

How is your plan manager connected to your NDIS plan?

Once your service agreement is signed, First2Care needs to be formally connected to your plan. This has to happen before we can see your funding or process claims for you.

In the NDIS computer system, this is done by recording First2Care as one of your my-providers. My-providers are the providers you have told the NDIA you work with regularly. Plan managers have to be recorded this way in order to be paid.

There are three ways to do this:

• through the my-NDIS participant portal

• by accepting a relationship request from First2Care in the portal

• by calling the NDIA on 1800 800 110, or telling your my-NDIS contact

The NDIA usually processes this within a few business days. Once First2Care is recorded, your consent for us to see your plan and budget information is applied automatically. Your First2Care specialist can then see your support categories, funding amounts and plan dates. This is what lets us match every invoice to the correct budget.

You do not need to manage this process yourself. Your specialist will help you with it and tell you when it is done.

What Happens in Your First Week

Once your plan manager is recorded, your First2Care specialist sets up your account fully. Here is what that looks like in practice.

• Your Plan Magic portal is activated. You receive login details for Plan Magic, your budget dashboard. From there, you can check your funding balances across all support categories, see which invoices have been processed, and view copies of paid invoices. You can open it at any time, from any device.

• Your budgets are reviewed. Your specialist checks the funding amounts across your support categories. If anything looks unusual, or if there is something you may want to ask about, they will raise it with you early.

• Your plan is explained to you. If you are new to plan management, or new to the NDIS, your specialist will explain your plan to you, section by section. They will cover what each support category pays for, how much funding you have available, and what to check as your plan year continues.

  
  

• Your providers are contacted. You give us the names and contact details of your current providers, and we contact them to introduce ourselves. We confirm how they should send invoices, check that service agreements are signed, and make sure they are ready to submit straight away.

By the end of your first week, you will know who your specialist is, how to contact them, how to check your budget, and how your providers submit invoices.

How your providers are connected

Your providers send their invoices directly to First2Care at accounts@first2care.com.au in PDF format. This includes support workers, therapists, allied health professionals, and anyone else delivering services in your plan.

When you join, your specialist contacts your current providers to introduce us and explain the process. We confirm the support item numbers for their services, check that service agreements are signed, and make sure there are no delays when their first invoice arrives.

If you add a new provider later, the same process applies. Tell your specialist, and we will set them up. Some providers have never worked with a plan manager before, particularly independent support workers and sole traders. First2Care explains the process to them, so you do not have to.

One thing worth knowing: if we have not paid a particular provider before, their first payment may take an extra day. This is because we need to set up their profile and verify their bank details in our system. It only happens once. 

You approve every invoice before it is paid

This is one of the most important things to understand about how we work, and it starts from your very first invoice.

When an invoice arrives, we check it and then email you to let you know. If you are happy for it to be paid, you do not need to do anything at all. If you find a problem with it, reply to our accounts team within 24 hours and we will pause the payment and fix it with you.

This means nothing is ever paid from your funding without you knowing about it first.

Your specialist also checks every invoice before it is processed. If a support item number is wrong, or a charge is above the NDIS maximum price, we contact the provider before payment goes through.

What if you are switching from another plan manager

If you already have a plan manager and are moving to First2Care, there is one extra step. The process is still simple.

• Give your current plan manager written notice

  Check your existing service agreement for the notice period. You then tell them in writing that you are ending the arrangement. Our switching guide includes a template you can use: How to Switch Plan Managers, Step by Step.

  
  

• Sign your service agreement with First2Care

  This can happen at the same time as giving notice to your current plan manager, so your plan management continues without a break.

• Your plan manager recording is updated

  Your First2Care specialist helps you update your my provider recording in the NDIA system, moving it from your previous plan manager to us. This takes a few business days.

• Outstanding invoices are dealt with

  Once First2Care is recorded as your plan manager, we can submit claims for any period covered by your plan. This means invoices from before the switch can still be processed.

  It helps to tell your providers your switch date and our invoice details, so everything is sent to the right place. Your specialist will go through the handover with you.

• Your supports do not stop.

  Your providers keep delivering services as normal throughout the switch. Most participants find the process easier than they expected.

What you need to have ready

You do not need to prepare much. Having these details ready for your first call makes the process faster.

• Your NDIS number. This is the unique number for your plan. You will find it on your NDIS plan document, or in the my NDIS participant portal.

• Your plan start and end dates. So your specialist knows where you are in your current plan.

• Your current providers. Names, contact details, and roughly what services they deliver.

• Your plan document, if you have it. A copy of your complete plan, and any support letters, helps your specialist review your support categories and funding. If you do not have a copy, that is fine. We can see your plan once we are recorded as your plan manager.

• Any questions you have. Write them down before your first call. There is no silly questions, and we mean that.

How long does each step take?

Here is the usual timeline, from your first conversation to your first paid invoice.

• Day 1. First conversation and service agreement signed. You speak with a First2Care specialist, decide to go ahead, and sign your service agreement electronically.

• Day 2. Plan manager recording submitted. Your specialist helps you submit the my provider request through the NDIA system. The NDIA processes it within a few business days.

• Day 5. Account set up, providers contacted. Your Plan Magic portal is activated, your providers are contacted, and your account is fully set up.

• Week 2. First invoices processed. As invoices arrive from your providers, we check them, email you to confirm, and process them promptly once approved.

Most participants are fully set up within one to two weeks. If you are switching from another plan manager, the timeline is the same, and the change is arranged so your plan management continues without a break.

Frequently Asked Questions About Signing Up with a Plan Manager

Do I need plan management funding in my plan before I can sign up?

Yes. Plan management is funded through the Improved Life Choices category in your Capacity Building budget. If your plan does not include it, you can ask the NDIA for a plan variation to add it. A plan variation is a change to part of your existing plan, rather than a full plan reassessment. You can request one at any time. You do not need to wait for your plan reassessment. Talk to your NDIA planner or your Local Area Coordinator, the organisation that helps you use your plan in your area.

How long does a plan variation take?

Once the NDIA has the information it needs, it will let you know its decision within 21 days. If your plan is varied, you receive a copy of the updated plan within 7 days of that decision.

Can I keep my current providers?

Yes. When you join First2Care, your existing providers keep delivering your supports as normal. The only change is where they send their invoices. We contact each provider to introduce ourselves and explain the process.

Can I use unregistered providers?

Yes. This is one of the main benefits of being plan managed. You can use both registered and unregistered providers, which gives you more choice than NDIA managed participants have. Your specialist can help you set up a service agreement with any provider you choose.

Do I have to approve every invoice?

You stay in control, and it is designed to be easy. We email you when an invoice arrives. If you are happy with it, you do not need to reply. If something is not right, reply to our accounts team within 24 hours and we will pause the payment.

What if I do not understand my NDIS plan?

That is what your First2Care specialist is there for. We will explain your plan in everyday words, explain what each support category pays for, and answer your questions. We can also go over anything again if that helps. This applies at the start and at any point during your plan.

How long does it take to switch from another plan manager?

Most switches are completed within one to two weeks. Your supports continue throughout. The process involves giving notice to your current plan manager, signing a service agreement with us, and updating your my provider recording with the NDIA.

Is there a cost to signing up?

No. Plan management is funded by the NDIS through a separate budget called Improved Life Choices. It does not reduce any of your other support funding, and there is nothing to pay yourself.

What happens if something is wrong with an invoice?

Your specialist checks every invoice before it is processed. If a support item number is wrong, or a charge is above the NDIS maximum price, we contact the provider before payment goes through. You will also receive an email about the invoice, so you can tell us if you notice a problem.

What happens to invoices sent to my old plan manager after I switch?

Once First2Care is recorded as your plan manager, we can submit claims for any period covered by your plan. It still helps to tell your providers your switch date and our invoice email address, so nothing is sent to the wrong place.

Know what to expect from the start

Signing up with First2Care is simple, and a real person helps you from your first call.

Your specialist sets up your account, explains what is happening at each stage, and makes sure everything is ready before your first invoice arrives. There is no pressure and no complicated paperwork.

Join First2Care today →

Book a free online meeting with our team →

Contact us with any questions →

Or call us on 1300 322 273.

Related reading: What Is NDIS Plan Management? · How to Switch Plan Managers · Is NDIS Plan Management Really Free? · NDIS Budget Categories Explained Simply

First2Care is a registered NDIS plan management provider (ABN: 24 601 046 155), approved and registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. This article is for general information and educational purposes. NDIS funding rules can change, and individual plans vary. For advice specific to your plan, please speak with your NDIA planner, Local Area Coordinator, or the First2Care team directly.