Modified Monash Model (MMM)
The Modified Monash Model (MMM) is the Australian Government's seven-level classification of how remote a location is, from MM 1 (major cities) to MM 7 (very remote). The NDIS uses it to decide whether national, remote or very remote price limits apply to a support and how much provider travel time can be claimed.
Also called: Modified Monash Model classification, MM rating, NDIS remote loading, Monash Model
Key takeaways
- The MMM rates every location in Australia from MM 1 (major cities) to MM 7 (very remote), using ABS remoteness areas and town size.
- MM 1–5 use the national NDIS price limit, MM 6 the remote limit and MM 7 the very remote limit, if the item lists one.
- The 2025-26 Pricing Arrangements say remote limits are generally 40% higher and very remote limits 50% higher than national.
- The rating that counts is where the support is delivered, not the participant's home address.
- The NDIA's isolated towns list reclassifies some towns, such as Broken Hill and Kalgoorlie, as remote or very remote.
- Provider travel time is capped at 30 minutes in MM 1–3 and 60 minutes in MM 4–5; MM 6–7 is by arrangement.
What is the Modified Monash Model (MMM)?
The Modified Monash Model (MMM) is the Australian Government's seven-level classification of how remote a place is, from MM 1 (major cities) to MM 7 (very remote communities). The NDIS uses it to decide whether the national, remote or very remote price limit applies to a support, and how much provider travel time can be claimed. When people talk about an "NDIS remote loading", the MMM rating is what decides it.
The model is maintained by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, which also uses it to target rural health workforce programs. It starts from the Australian Bureau of Statistics remoteness areas (the ASGS-RA framework) and then splits regional Australia further by the size of the nearest town. That's why two country towns in the same remoteness area can have different MM ratings.
In the NDIS, an MM rating matters in three ways:
- Price limits: supports delivered in MM 6 and MM 7 locations can be claimed at higher remote and very remote limits under the NDIS pricing arrangements.
- Provider travel: the cap on claimable provider travel time depends on the MM rating of the area where the support is delivered.
- Isolated towns: the NDIA reclassifies some towns surrounded by remote country as remote or very remote "for planning and pricing purposes", so the official MM rating isn't always the last word.
The seven MMM categories
Each category combines the ABS remoteness area with the population of the nearest town. The descriptions below are the ones set out in the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits 2025-26, with the price column that applies under the 2026-27 NDIS pricing schedule.
| MM category | What it covers | NDIS price limit |
|---|---|---|
| MM 1 — Metropolitan | All areas the ABS classes as Major Cities of Australia | National |
| MM 2 — Regional centres | Inner or outer regional areas in, or within 20 km road distance of, a town of more than 50,000 people | National |
| MM 3 — Large rural towns | Inner or outer regional areas not in MM 2 that are in, or within 15 km of, a town of 15,000 to 50,000 people | National |
| MM 4 — Medium rural towns | Inner or outer regional areas not in MM 2 or 3 that are in, or within 10 km of, a town of 5,000 to 15,000 people | National |
| MM 5 — Small rural towns | All other inner and outer regional areas | National |
| MM 6 — Remote communities | Areas the ABS classes as Remote Australia, plus regional islands with fewer than 1,000 people | Remote |
| MM 7 — Very remote communities | Very Remote Australia, plus populated islands more than 5 km offshore | Very remote |
The Department publishes MMM in versions tied to census data. Its Health Workforce Locator shows the 2015, 2019 and 2023 classifications. The NDIS used the 2019 version for several years; the NDIA's update to the 2025-26 Pricing Arrangements, effective 24 November 2025, implemented the Department's most recent MMM classifications. If a location sits near a boundary, check which version the current NDIS pricing documents refer to before relying on a result.
How MMM sets NDIS price limits
The 2026-27 NDIS pricing schedule, effective 24 September 2026, has no state or territory price columns. Most items instead have up to three maximum amounts: national, remote and very remote. The MM rating of the place where the support is delivered decides which one applies (NDIA pricing arrangements):
- MM 1–5: the national limit, unless the town is reclassified in the isolated towns list.
- MM 6, or a town reclassified as remote: the remote limit.
- MM 7, or a town reclassified as very remote: the very remote limit.
- No remote or very remote amount listed: the support isn't eligible for a loading, and the national amount applies everywhere.
The 2025-26 Pricing Arrangements say that, in general, price limits are 40% higher in remote areas and 50% higher in very remote areas, with no loading in metropolitan areas, regional centres or regional areas. In the 2026-27 schedule nearly every item with a loading follows that pattern, but you should always read the figure listed for the item rather than calculating it yourself. The free NDIS price guide shows the national, remote and very remote limit for each support item number.
Source: NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits 2025-26 ('in general, price limits are 40% higher in Remote areas and 50% higher in Very Remote areas'). Read each item's listed limit in the 2026-27 schedule.
Which location counts
The rating that counts is the place where the support is delivered, not the participant's home address or your office. The 2025-26 Pricing Arrangements spell out how this works for different kinds of delivery, and section 2.3 of the 2026-27 schedule confirms the general principle.
| How the support is delivered | Location that sets the price | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Face to face, worker and participant together | Where the participant is at the time of the support | A remote participant visits a regional clinic: national limit |
| Telehealth | Generally where the worker is; a remote or very remote participant can agree to their own area's limit if it's value for money | City therapist on video with a very remote participant: national, unless the participant agrees otherwise |
| Non-face-to-face work or NDIA-requested reports | Where the worker is when doing the work | Report written in a metropolitan office: national limit |
The isolated towns list
Where a town is surrounded by remote or very remote areas, the NDIA can reclassify it. Part 3 of the 2026-27 pricing schedule lists these enclaves. The current list includes towns such as Broken Hill in New South Wales, Charters Towers, Emerald and Roma in Queensland, and Geraldton and Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, which are treated as remote, and Gunbalanya in the Northern Territory, which is treated as very remote. If you only check the Health Workforce Locator, you'll miss these.
How to check an MMM rating
The Pricing Arrangements point providers and participants to the Department's Health Workforce Locator. A quick, defensible process:
- 1Identify where the support will be deliveredUse the actual service location, such as the participant's home, a day program or a clinic, not your office or the participant's postal address.
- 2Look up the address in the Health Workforce LocatorEnter the address on the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing's Health Workforce Locator and note the MM category shown.
- 3Check the isolated towns listLook for the town in Part 3 of the current NDIS pricing schedule. If it's listed, the NDIA's remote or very remote classification applies.
- 4Read the matching price limitFind the support item in the pricing schedule and use the national, remote or very remote amount. If no remote amount is listed, use national.
- 5Record the resultSave the rating, the date you checked and the source on the participant's record and in the service agreement pricing.
Keep the evidence. A dated note or screenshot on the participant's record, linked to the service location, supports a remote-rate claim if a plan manager or the NDIA asks about it.
MMM and provider travel
The MM rating also caps how much travel time a provider can claim. The current caps come from the 2025-26 Pricing Arrangements, which are still the latest published claiming rules alongside the 2026-27 schedule:
- MM 1–3: up to 30 minutes of travel time to each participant, per eligible worker.
- MM 4–5: up to 60 minutes to each participant.
- MM 6–7: no fixed cap; providers can make specific travel arrangements with the participant, up to the relevant hourly limit (50% of it for therapy travel time).
The same caps generally apply to return travel to the usual place of work where it's claimable. The rating used is that of the area where the participant is when the support is delivered. Travel must also be agreed in advance in the service agreement. The free NDIS travel calculator applies these caps for you.
MMM vs other remoteness terms
Several remoteness labels get mixed up in NDIS conversations. The MMM is the one the NDIS pricing rules use; the others either feed into it or modify it.
| Term | What it is | How it relates to NDIS pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Modified Monash Model (MM 1–7) | Department of Health classification by remoteness and town size | Decides national, remote or very remote limits and travel caps |
| ASGS Remoteness Areas | ABS framework: major cities, inner and outer regional, remote, very remote | The building block the MMM is based on; not used directly for NDIS prices |
| NDIA isolated towns list | Towns the NDIA reclassifies because they are surrounded by remote areas | Overrides the MM rating for pricing and planning |
| State or territory price columns | How older NDIS price guides set some limits | Not used in the 2026-27 schedule, which has national, remote and very remote amounts |
- MMM decides which of the national, remote or very remote limits applies
- The rules that adopt MMM for NDIS pricing
- Records the agreed price and location-based limit
- Travel time caps depend on the MM rating
- Each item lists its own remote and very remote amounts, if any
Common mistakes with MMM ratings
- Using the participant's home address for a support delivered somewhere else, such as a clinic in a regional city or during a trip away.
- Using your office's rating for face-to-face supports delivered at the participant's location.
- Charging a remote price for an item with no remote amount. If the schedule lists no remote or very remote limit, the national one applies.
- Missing a reclassified town because only the Health Workforce Locator was checked.
- Applying a percentage to the national price instead of reading the listed remote figure.
- Setting a rate once and never reviewing it, even though participants move, delivery locations change and the NDIA updates classifications.
- Billing office-based report writing at the very remote limit. Non-face-to-face work is priced where the worker is.
Example
Illustrative example (fictional). Jo lives in a community the Health Workforce Locator rates MM 7, and a provider delivers 3 hours of personal care at Jo's home on Monday. Because the support happens in an MM 7 location, the provider can claim up to the very remote limit for that item, as agreed in Jo's service agreement.
On Thursday Jo travels to a regional town rated MM 4 for medical appointments, and a support worker from the same provider supports Jo there for 4 hours. That shift is delivered in an MM 4 location, so only the national limit applies, even though Jo's home is very remote. Both shifts use the same support item, but the maximum unit price differs, and the invoice shows each one separately.
Jo's occupational therapist, based in a capital city, also writes a progress report for Jo's team from the office. That non-face-to-face work is priced where the therapist is, so the national limit applies. When the therapist runs a video session with Jo, the national limit applies by default, but Jo could agree to the very remote limit if satisfied it is value for money.
Frequently asked questions
What does MMM mean in the NDIS?
MMM stands for the Modified Monash Model, a seven-level classification of remoteness from MM 1 (major cities) to MM 7 (very remote). The NDIS uses it to decide whether national, remote or very remote price limits apply, and to set provider travel caps.
What is the NDIS remote loading?
It's the higher price limit for supports delivered in remote (MM 6) and very remote (MM 7) areas. The 2025-26 Pricing Arrangements describe remote limits as generally 40% higher and very remote limits as 50% higher than national. Always read the listed figure for each item.
How do I find the MMM rating of an address?
Enter the address in the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing's Health Workforce Locator and read the MM category. Then check the isolated towns list in the NDIS pricing schedule, because the NDIA reclassifies some towns as remote or very remote.
Does the participant's home address decide the NDIS price?
No. For face-to-face supports, the price limit depends on where the participant is when the support is delivered. Telehealth is generally priced where the worker is, and non-face-to-face work and NDIA-requested reports are priced where the worker does the work.
Is MM 5 remote for NDIS pricing?
No. MM 1 to MM 5 all use the national price limit, unless the town is on the NDIA's isolated towns list. Only MM 6 (remote) and MM 7 (very remote) locations attract the higher limits.
How does MMM affect NDIS travel claims?
Under the 2025-26 Pricing Arrangements, providers can claim up to 30 minutes of travel time to each participant in MM 1–3 areas and up to 60 minutes in MM 4–5. In MM 6–7 areas, travel is by specific arrangement with the participant.
Which version of the MMM does the NDIS use?
The NDIS used the 2019 MMM for several years. The NDIA's update to the 2025-26 Pricing Arrangements, effective 24 November 2025, implemented the Department's latest MMM classifications. Check the current pricing documents if a location is near a boundary.
Related terms
- NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits (PAPL)The NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits (PAPL) is the NDIA's price guide: the maximum prices for NDIS supports plus the rules for claiming them. From 24 September 2026 the maximums come from the Minister's NDIS pricing schedule 2026–27, while the 2025–26 PAPL remains the latest published claiming rules.
- NDIS hourly rateThe NDIS hourly rate usually means the maximum price per hour a provider can charge for a support, called the price limit. It is set in the NDIS pricing schedule and varies by support item, time of day and day of week, worker skill level, location and group size. It is not the same as a support worker's pay rate.
- Non-face-to-face supportsNon-face-to-face supports are work a provider does for a specific NDIS participant while they are not present, such as writing progress reports or preparing a home program. It is claimable only when the item allows it, the work is part of that participant's support and they agreed in advance.
- Price limitAn NDIS price limit is the maximum amount, including GST, that a provider can charge per unit for a support funded through NDIA-managed or plan-managed funding. Each support item has national, remote and very remote limits, set from 24 September 2026 by the Minister's NDIS pricing schedule 2026–27.
- Provider travelNDIS provider travel is the travel time and running costs a provider can claim from a participant's plan for a worker getting to a face-to-face support. Time is capped at 30 minutes (MMM 1–3) or 60 minutes (MMM 4–5), therapy travel is half the hourly limit, and it must be agreed in advance.
- Service agreementAn NDIS service agreement is an agreement between a participant and a provider that sets out the supports to be delivered, how and when, what they cost and each party's responsibilities. Written agreements are mandatory for SDA, expected of registered providers and needed for GST-free supplies.
- Support item numberA support item number, often called an NDIS line item, is the unique code for a specific NDIS support, such as 01_011_0107_1_1. Its parts show the support category, item sequence, registration group, outcome domain and support purpose, and every NDIS claim and invoice line must use one.
Go deeper
Sources
- health.gov.au/topics/rural-health-workforce/classifications/mmm
- ndis.gov.au/providers/pricing-and-payments/pricing/pricing-arrangements
- health.gov.au/resources/apps-and-tools/health-workforce-locator/app
- ndis.gov.au/news/10924-updated-ndis-pricing-arrangements-and-price-limits-2025-26
General information, not legal, clinical or financial advice. NDIS rules change — check the official source before you act.
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The Suppora editorial team writes practical guides for NDIS providers, checked against the NDIS Commission, NDIA and Fair Work sources cited on each page.
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