Can an FCA under $1,000 really be thorough?
It's a fair thing to wonder. When many assessments cost more, an FCA at $969.95 can sound too good to be true — and people are right to ask what's been left out. The honest answer is: nothing that matters. We keep our overheads low, not our standards. Here's how.
It's the standard NDIS rate — used efficiently
First, an important distinction: we're not undercutting anyone on price. Our assessments are billed at the standard NDIS occupational therapy rate of $193.99 an hour — the same rate across the sector. The reason the total comes to what it does is hours, not rate: a streamlined FCA is usually around five hours of focused work. We charge the going rate; we're simply efficient with the time.
$969.95 is roughly five hours at the standard NDIS rate of $193.99/hr. It isn't a cut-price assessment — it's the going rate, spent well, with no padding to inflate the hours.
What keeps the cost down
The difference comes from how the practice is run, not from what goes into your report.
Independent & therapist-led
No corporate ownership or franchise structure taking a margin — so the focus is on clinical integrity and access, not profit.
Telehealth delivery
No clinic rooms or travel to fund, which removes a large slice of the overhead other providers carry.
A streamlined process
Efficient intake and forms mean the OT's time goes into assessment and reasoning, not admin.
Good preparation
When documents and forms are ready, fewer hours are needed — which keeps the total where it is.
What stays exactly the same
Lower overheads don't touch the parts that make the report good.
- The same validated tools — WHODAS 2.0 and structured assessment.
- The same domains of daily life, covered in full.
- The same clinical experience — a team used to complex and neurodivergent presentations.
- The same senior review — every report reasoned and signed off by Nisha Bal.
We keep our overheads low, not our standards. The savings come from how we run — never from what's in the report.— Nisha Bal, Seeds OT
Access is the point
This is a deliberate choice, not a sale. An FCA can be a barrier — costly, and often needed by people who are already low on funding or paying out of pocket. Keeping ours accessible means more people can get the evidence they need without it costing the earth. That's the whole idea: a thorough, senior-reviewed assessment that more people can actually reach.
Frequently asked
Because our overheads are lower, not our standards. As an independent, therapist-led practice with no franchise structure, delivering by telehealth and running a streamlined process, we carry far less cost — and we pass that on. The hourly rate is the standard NDIS rate; the saving is in how we operate.
No. You get the same validated tools, the same domains covered in full, the same experienced clinicians and the same senior review by Nisha Bal. The cost reflects efficient operations, not a lighter assessment.
No. For most cases, $969.95 covers the full assessment and report. Where a situation is more complex and more hours are genuinely needed, we'll discuss that with you upfront — there are no surprises after the fact.
Yes — if you're self-managed or plan-managed, you can claim our assessments. They meet NDIS standards and are aligned with the NDIS price guide.