Australia is set to change how disability support plans are made under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Starting mid-2026, funding and support plans for participants will be generated by a computer tool named I-CAN, developed by the University of Melbourne. Staff will not have the power to change these plans once created. The new system will reduce human involvement in deciding support and aims to provide more consistent and fair funding. Details of the changes came from an internal briefing for NDIS staff. Currently, staff can adjust plans generated by computer tools, but the new I-CAN system will produce a fixed budget for each participant. NDIS staff can only approve or ask for a new assessment but cannot alter the generated plan. The I-CAN tool combines a detailed assessment and a questionnaire about personal and environmental factors. The change also affects the right to appeal. The administrative review tribunal (ART), which currently can change or fix plans, will only be able to send plans back to the NDIS for reassessment. The ART cannot make direct changes. Legal advice confirms the NDIS itself must conduct reassessments. NDIS managers say the new model aims to simplify access, reduce errors, and lower costs. Australia's Health Minister, Mark Butler, wants to slow participant growth to 5-6% yearly from 12%. Around 750,000 Australians currently receive NDIS support. However, disability groups and some staff worry about the lack of human discretion and ignoring independent medical evidence. Questions remain on assessor qualifications, appeal fairness, and how to support people who find it hard to engage with NDIS staff. NDIS leaders say the new assessor role will likely be filled by trained NDIA employees, preferably with allied health backgrounds or lived disability experience. They stress the importance of careful plan approval by senior delegates. Some NDIS staff expressed hope the changes will be positive and consistent, while also raising concerns about participant wellbeing if needs go unrecognized. The agency says it has learned from past policy failures and is consulting widely to ensure a smooth transition.