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IBT implementation and claim guidance for funders and providers

IBT implementation and claim guidance for funders and providers

Find guidance on In-Between Travel implementation for providers / employers and funders, and how to make claims.

Implementation guidance

The following document sets out information for providers, employers and funders on in-between travel arrangements:

Summary of changes made in August 2023:

Changed travel time hourly rates to reflect the increase to support worker’s wage rates effective from 1 July 2023 as agreed by funders.
Te Whatu Ora will consider options to recover the funding that has been made available from 1 July 2023 to increase support worker wages from employers where the funding has not been passed on to workers.

Contract template variation

Two contract template variations have been negotiated with the sector.

How to claim if a support worker’s actual hours are fewer than their guaranteed hours

Only cancellations and an on-going reduction of hours can be claimed via the In-Between Travel Portal from 1 April 2017.

If a worker’s actual hours are fewer than their guaranteed hours, a provider cannot claim funding for the difference via the In-Between Travel Portal.

Funding for this was included in the Top Up Funding for Unfilled Guaranteed Hours (please refer section 3.4 of Guaranteed Hours Funding Framework). Allocation of top up funding is the responsibility of the provider.

Limiting guaranteed hours

A provider can limit a support worker’s guaranteed hours to a maximum of 40 hours per week.

Using the AR claim code

The AR claim code can only be used when:

there is an actual reduction in a support worker’s hours due to circumstances beyond the control of the support worker or provider (such as the death or relocation of a client), and
the provider is unable to find replacement work for the support worker.

In that instance, a provider can claim for an ongoing reduction of hours for up to three weeks.

The AR code does not apply in other situations, such as when a client is in respite care, for example the client is in care for 2 weeks and then resumes receiving the service again.

What to claim if more than one service is provided at the same address and that visit is cancelled

Providers should change their systems to reflect the actual travel undertaken. A work around is to use only one claim line for each service (for example, CA_AT_210_CC).

The code AT can be used for the first claim line to represent the travel time. In subsequent claim lines, the claim code AN can be used.

For example, where three services are provided at one address but the service is cancelled, the claim would be as below:

VM 01/04/2017 ABC1234 9:00 CA_AT_60_CC
VM 01/04/2017 ABC1234 10:00 CA_AN_30_CC
VM 01/04/2017 ABC1234 10:30 CA_AN_120_CC.

Claiming for support work after the death of a client

If the funder agrees with the support worker helping the client’s family after the client’s death, the provider can make a claim. The claim would be as below:

VM 01/04/2017 ABC1234 10:00 CA_AT_60_DEA
VM 02/04/2017 ABC1234 10:00 CA_AR_60_DEA
VM 03/04/2017 ABC1234 11:00 Note: claim service time as you would normally claim
VM 04/04/2017 ABC1234 10:00 CA_AR_60_DEA.

If the funder does not allow for providing services after the client’s death

The claim would be as below:

VM 01/04/2017 ABC1234 10:00 CA_AT_60_DEA
VM 02/04/2017 ABC1234 10:00 CA_AR_60_DEA
VM 03/04/2017 ABC1234 11:00 CA_AR_60_DEA
VM 04/04/2017 ABC1234 10:00 CA_AR_60_DEA

If a client visit is cancelled

If the provider has found a partial replacement

The code AN should be used. This allows providers to claim for only the cancelled service time, excluding travel time.

For example:

VM 01/04/2017 ABC1234 10:00 CA_AN_30_CC
VM 01/04/2017 DEF6789 10:30

Note: If the provider finds the full replacement for the cancelled visit then the cancelled visit cannot be claimed.

Claiming driving home after a client visit is cancelled

When a support worker drives home after a client visit is cancelled then exceptional travel should be used on a separate claim line.