This report presents a series of models for rolling out ‘navigators’ to help people with a disability to plan services and connect with local providers. This was a key recommendation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Review. The report finds that navigators have the potential to improve access to services and ensure higher-quality services are delivered. An effective navigator model could also save up to $5.2 billion a year for the NDIS by 2033, making it both more sustainable and more supportive.

A key issue for the NDIS is the role of intermediaries , including local area coordinators, plan managers and support coordinators. These intermediaries were intended to help connect people with a disability with providers of services and supports, and with the government as funder. The government currently spends over $2 billion a year on intermediaries, but they are not fulfilling their potential to drive higher quality, better access and lower costs across the scheme.

This report evaluates how the NDIS Review’s recommendation to replace existing intermediaries with a new ‘navigator’ role can improve the quality, accessibility and cost of disability services.

The four navigator models explored in this report are:

1. Open market
2. Competitive process to appoint a navigator for each local area
3. Curated competition
4. Curated competition with fundholding