<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The government is set to slash the cost of running the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) under sweeping new changes.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Health Minister Mark Butler told the National Press Club today that the scheme would be redesigned with "hard but unavoidable" changes.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Butler also handed down decisions to trim aged care spending ahead of the federal budget.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>So what does this mean for NDIS participants and older Australians?</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/ndis-announcement-mark-butler-national-press-club-speech/9eeadad4-6e3c-4e39-b003-b8f594127adb" rel="" target="" title="Government flags crackdown, cost-cutting in NDIS"><strong><span>Government flags crackdown, cost-cutting in NDIS</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><span>Average plan spend to drop from $31,000 to $26,000</span></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The total cost of social and community spending will be "reset" under the changes.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/ndis-changes-announcement/22da4bdd-95d2-4ab8-a9f0-1ee26918dc90" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>This section of the NDIS provides opportunities for connection and community participation.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>According to Butler, the average plan spend this year is about $31,000, which is up from about $14,000 five years ago.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Over the next two years our changes will bring that figure back down to about $26,000, back to where it was in 2023," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Without our changes, that figure will have been more like $33,000."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Mandatory registration for some providers</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The government will expand the categories of mandatory registration to include "higher risk activities" such as personal care, daily living supports and supports provided in closed settings.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>However Butler said not every provider needs to be fully registered.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We don't need to monitor retail purchases from a chemist the same way we monitor close personal care of vulnerable people," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><span>Showering, continence management and dressing to become free of charge</span></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The government plans to invest around $1 billion to change the treatment of showering, continence management and dressing under the Support at Home program for older Australians.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The investment will make this care free of charge alongside clinical care.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Dignity in older age, through a world class aged care system, is the least our parents and grandparents deserve," Butler said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Private health cover subsidy for Australians over 65 to be scrapped</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Private health cover for Australians over 65 is currently subsidised at a higher rate than other Australians.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The government plans to remove this subsidy and divert it into aged care.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's simply not the best way to spend precious taxpayers' dollars on behalf of older Australians when we need to do so much heavy lifting in aged care," Butler said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"So, this budget will return the rebate for older Australians back to the level paid for everyone else and divert the money back into aged care.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I understand this won't be a welcome decision for many, but it's the right thing to do."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><strong><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all 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