Travel Time Cuts Hit Mobile Therapists: How Brisbane OTs & Physios Can Offset the 50% Rate Reduction

For mobile allied health professionals across Brisbane and Queensland, 1 July 2025 marked a watershed moment. The National Disability Insurance Agency introduced sweeping changes to travel reimbursement, capping travel claims for therapy supports at just 50% of hourly rates. This significant policy shift limits the total claimable amount for the labour time component of provider travel to no more than half of the applicable therapy price limit.

The impact has been immediate and far-reaching. Mobile occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech pathologists and psychologists who previously claimed their full hourly rate for travel time now face a substantial reduction in sustainable income, particularly those serving regional and remote communities across South East Queensland.

Understanding the New NDIS Travel Reimbursement Rules

The updated Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits fundamentally reshape how mobile clinicians operate. An occupational therapist travelling one hour to see a participant can now only charge 50% of the hourly price limit for travel, down from the previous 100%.

For example, if an occupational therapist with a rate of $193.99 per hour travels 40 minutes in metropolitan Brisbane, they can now claim only $64.66 for that travel time (capped at 30 minutes at 50% rate), compared to $129.33 previously. The financial impact compounds quickly across a weekly caseload.

Metro areas face a 30-minute travel cap each way, whilst regional areas have a 60-minute limit. Non-labour costs like fuel and parking remain claimable at $0.99 per kilometre, but the labour component reduction represents the true financial challenge facing occupational therapy and physiotherapy practices.

Why This Matters for Brisbane’s Allied Health Workforce

Research indicates 90% of therapy providers are small operators serving fewer than five participants, creating a fragile market particularly in areas with limited infrastructure. The travel cap threatens the viability of mobile therapy services that many Brisbane families depend upon, especially in outer suburbs like Logan, Ipswich and the Redlands.

The changes arrive amid broader NDIS pricing reforms, including a $10 reduction in physiotherapy rates to $183.99 nationally and removal of regional loadings in some states. These compounding pressures force difficult strategic decisions for practices across Queensland.

Strategic Approaches to Offset Revenue Reductions

Progressive allied health providers are implementing several practical solutions:

Optimising Service Delivery Models

• Clustering appointments geographically to minimise travel between clients
• Implementing hybrid models combining telehealth services with strategic in-person visits
• Scheduling back-to-back appointments in the same suburb to maximise billable hours
• Offering extended 70-minute sessions that better reflect true service provision including documentation time

Enhancing Service Value

Smart practices are differentiating through exceptional service quality rather than competing solely on price. This includes comprehensive NDIS functional capacity assessments that justify therapy recommendations, detailed progress reporting that demonstrates clear outcomes, and collaborative approaches with positive behaviour support practitioners and psychologists to provide integrated care.

Marketing for Efficiency

Successful Brisbane practices are investing in local SEO to attract clients within tighter geographic zones, building strong referral relationships with NDIS support coordinators, and communicating their value proposition clearly through educational content that builds trust with participants and families.

Practical Implementation Steps

Begin by analysing your current caseload distribution using mapping tools to identify clustering opportunities. Brisbane therapists might focus intensively on specific regions—perhaps Monday in the northern suburbs, Tuesday in Logan, Wednesday on the southside—rather than criss-crossing the city daily.

Review your service agreements to ensure they reflect true service costs whilst remaining competitive. Consider introducing appointment packages that incentivise consistent scheduling patterns beneficial for both therapist efficiency and participant outcomes.

Invest in practice management software that optimises routing and scheduling. The time saved through intelligent rostering directly translates to increased billable hours and reduced administrative burden.

Looking Forward

Whilst the 50% travel cap presents undeniable challenges, it also creates opportunities for innovation. Practices that adapt strategically—through geographic focus, service diversification, and operational efficiency—will emerge stronger. The changes ultimately reward therapists who can demonstrate exceptional outcomes and build sustainable practices around quality rather than volume.

Brisbane’s allied health sector has weathered significant policy shifts before. By implementing thoughtful strategies now, mobile OTs and physios can continue delivering vital person-centred support whilst maintaining practice viability in this new landscape.

Blog FAQ

Q1: How much can NDIS therapists charge for travel in 2025? A: From July 2025, therapists can claim 50% of their hourly rate for travel time, capped at 30 minutes each way in metro areas and 60 minutes in regional areas, with vehicle costs at $0.99/km.

Q2: Which areas of Brisbane are affected by NDIS travel changes? A: All Brisbane metropolitan areas (MMM 1-3) face the 30-minute travel cap, significantly impacting outer suburbs like Logan, Ipswich, Redlands and northern corridor where travel times exceed these limits.

Q3: Can mobile therapists still provide home visits under new NDIS rules? A: Yes, mobile therapy remains viable but requires strategic scheduling, geographic clustering, and potentially hybrid models combining telehealth with in-person visits to maintain practice sustainability.