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The New system, clients will be placed on a national 'prioritization queue' when they have been approved for home care. A client's position on the queue will be dependent on:
Key elements of the National Prioritisation Queue:
The National Prioritisation Queue allows a consistent national approach to prioritising access to Home Care Packages through My Aged Care. The queue provides a more equitable and flexible way of distributing Home Care Packages based on consumers’ individual circumstances, regardless of where they live.
Clients are prioritised based on the following two variables:
• Time waited for package (commencing from the date of delegate approval); and
• Priority for home care service.
Guidance on Priority for Home Care Services:
Clients assessed by an ACAT and approved as eligible for a Home Care Package must be approved for a:
• Home Care Package level – either 1, 2, 3, or 4 with the package level indicating the amount of care the client requires; and
• Home care services priority – either medium or high priority with the priority indicating how quickly the client requires the package. The default priority will be medium priority with only a small percentage of clients who are at immediate risk* being approved as high priority. Care level and priority for home care service are not necessarily linked – a level 4 client will not always have a 'high' priority for home care service – they may need a high level of care, but not be at immediate risk for a range of reasons.
• The priority for home care service is a delegate decision similar to the package level decision, and can be appealed by a client if they disagree with the decision. You will be told what your priority for home care service is, in the same letter that will inform you which level of package you have been
approved for.
* Immediate Risk:
Home care providers do need to be aware of this upcoming change...
Improved Payment Arrangements for Home Care
11 April 2022
The changes to how we pay home care subsidies and supplements to providers will occur in 2 phases. Instead of paying the total in advance, we will pay in arrears for services delivered. We will hold unspent funds for care recipients. This is in line with other Government-funded programs.
What will change?
The way the Australian Government pays Home Care Packages Program subsidies and supplements to providers will change.
Instead of paying the full subsidy and supplements in advance each month, we will pay in arrears for services delivered. We will make changes in 2 phases. This will not affect care recipients' subsidy entitlements.
Phase 1 – 1 February 2021
In phase 1, we will pay home care subsidies in arrears each month. This is planned to begin on 1 February 2021.
We will continue to pay the full amount, regardless of the services provided in the past month. Providers will continue to hold unspent funds on behalf of their care recipients. There will be no change to how they manage unspent funds. *
* Unspent funds are the total amount of subsidy and fees you have received on behalf of a person that have not been spent.
07 September 2021
Phase 2 – 1 September 2021
In phase 2, subject to legislation passing, the payments will be for actual services provided. The Australian Government will hold any unspent Commonwealth funds. These funds will continue to be available to care recipients when needed.
This is planned to begin on 1 September 2021.
Improved Payment Arrangement (IPA) updateDue to the implementation of Phase 2 of IPA, the contents on this page are currently under review.
We encourage you to check the Improved payment arrangements for home care webpage, to access information about how this initiative impacts delivery of the Home Care Program.
Note: We do not have access to all documents created by, received by, or stored by other government entities.
11 April 2022
Why are these changes important?
These changes align home care with other Government-funded programs like the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), as well as modern business practices.
These changes will move the responsibility for holding care recipients’ Australian Government paid portion of unspent funds from the provider to the Australian Government.
This will reduce the prudential risk in home care over time, and improve protections for care recipients’ home care funds as the program grows. These changes are better suited to the service delivery, consumer-directed care nature Home Care Packages Program.
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by Judy Skatssoon July 7, 2021
POSTED INAGED CARE Concerns raised about assurance reviews
Home care providers will be subject to “assurance reviews” for the first time under new laws introduced in response to the aged care royal commission.
Sean Rooney The reviews are designed to encourage “continuous improvement”, but legal experts say they give the government the power to demand information about almost all aspects of a provider’s business and could lead to increased compliance action and more sanctions against home care providers.
LASA has also raised concern about the breadth of the provision and says the reviews are unlikely to have any effect on home care pricing apart from adding to the administrative burden.
Up to 500 home care providers each year will face assurance reviews from November, aged care services minister Richard Colbeck says.
“The reviews will examine fees and charges applied by home care providers to ensure senior Australians are not facing unjustified costs,” Mr Colbeck said.
Broad powers to investigate:
The new laws enable the department of health to conduct assurance reviews of approved providers to ensure the “effective and efficient” delivery of home care.
The review will be able to look at:
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by Judy Skatssoon May 25, 2021
POSTED INAGED CARE
Pricing table a carrot and stick for providers
The government has released a new data table revealing the median cost of common home care services across Australia, which it hopes will act as a carrot to improve service offerings and a stick against unjustified charges.
Older Australians and their families will also be able to get an idea of standard pricing to help them make decisions about whether a provider’s prices are fair, says aged care services minister Richard Colbeck.
The table shows median prices for nursing, in-home respite, personal care and cleaning, as well as package and management.
The data can be viewed on a national level, by state and territory, or across metropolitan, regional, rural and remote areas.
https://communitycarereview.com.au/2021/05/25/pricing-table-a-carrot-and-stick-for-providers/
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Budget 2018-19: the sector reacts
More packages, more choice ($1.6b for 14,000 additional high-level home care packages + 6000 already announced in the second half of 2017.)
Other announcements included making available 13,500 residential aged care places and 775 short term restorative care places, with $60 million capital investment to support new places, and providing increased flexibility of funding for residential beds or home care packages by combining both programs from July 1 2018.
The Government also announced in-principle support for putting residential aged care places in the hands of consumers. COTA welcomed this and pushed for a specific date for the change at latest by next year’s Budget. “Until then with residential care allocated to providers, not in response to consumer demand, older Australians still do not have the ability to choose their nursing home, and good providers are restrained from responding to consumer preferences,” Yates said.
Navigating aged care
The Government will spend $7.4 million over two years to trial Integrated Consumer Supports, including help for older Australians to navigate aged care.
This will include 30 aged care information hubs to provide locally targeted information, 20 community hubs where members support each other in navigating aged care and a dozen specialist positions in consumer-focused organisations and the Department of Human Services to offer additional support.
Dementia Australia chief executive Maree McCabe said the peak was particularly pleased to note funding to assist people seeking information about aged care to make decisions that are right for them.
Palliative care ($32.8 million over 3 years for extra palliative care in residential aged care)
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My Aged Care system and process overviews for service providers
Page last updated: 21 August 2019
An overview of the steps that providers of aged care services follow, with links (where available) to guidance information on each step.
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Home care providers do need to be aware of this upcoming change...
https://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/executive/home-care-providers-to-be-hit-with-major-funding-change-from-june/
Home care providers to be hit with major funding change from June 2020
By Judy Skatssoon on March 4, 2020 in Community Care Review
More than 900 home care providers will receive their final payment in advance in May ahead of the
introduction of major changes to the payment system.
Peak industry organisation Leading Age Services Australia says there’s too much uncertainty around the changes and is demanding support for home care providers, in the form of transitional grants, as they transition to the new payment system which comes into effect in June.
As reported by Community Care Review in January, the aged care funding instrument ACFA has greenlighted the funding overhaul, which is designed to stem the accumulation of unspent funds which now amount to more than $800 million nationally.
The changes mean providers will be paid in arrears instead of receiving a monthly payment in advance, and will eventually only be able to claim for services delivered rather than getting a lump sum.
The government flagged the changes in last year’s budget saying the new model would align home care with other government funded programs where providers are only paid for services once they have been delivered.
In a memo to providers last week the health department confirmed the changes will commence on June 1.
Providers will get their final advance payment at the start of May and thereafter they’ll get it at the end of each month once they have lodged a claim.
The second phase of reforms, set to come in by a yet-to-be determined date, will see providers only being paid for services delivered rather than receiving a lump sum.
More information is available here.
15 January 2020
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Becoming an Approved Provider
WHO is a Provider in this new Consumer Directed Care world?
The new changes to the approved provider process mean existing residential aged care or flexible care providers can now opt-in to deliver home care without having to submit a new application. Once approved provider status has been granted it will no longer lapse, whether the approval is for home care, residential care or flexible care.
An approved provider is responsible for the decisions about the delivery of care and financial management of subsidies and care recipient’s fees and payments. Approved providers have responsibilities and obligations to deliver the care in line with the standards that are specified in the Aged Care Act 1997 (the Act) and the Principles made under section 96-1 of the Act (the Principles).
An approved provider of aged care is an organisation that has been approved to provide residential care, home and/or flexible care under the Act.
The approved provider is responsible for the decisions about the delivery of care and financial management and has responsibilities and obligations to deliver the care in line with the standards that are specified in the Act and the Principles. Approved providers receive subsidies for the delivery of care to care recipients.
To gain approval as a provider of aged care under the Act, the applicant must be assessed by the department as suitable to provide aged care.
What you must know before applying to become a provider of aged care.
Why do I have to use the approved form?
Under the Act, an application for approval to provide home, residential and/or flexible care must be made using the approved application form that is current at the time you submit your application. All application forms are developed to ensure that applicants provide the necessary information to allow an assessment against the suitability criteria. Forms that are incomplete or have been altered will not be accepted.
21 August 2019
The changes strengthen the focus on the capacity of the applicant as a whole, including its systems and processes, to deliver quality care and services. There is also less focus on an organisation’s key personnel, who may change regularly. In the near future an online smart form will be made available to make it even easier to apply to become an approved provider of aged care.
The National Screening and Assessment Form Fact Sheet: https://agedcare.health.gov.au/programs-services/my-aged-care/national-screening-and-assessment-form
02 November 2018
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Wondering what changes are coming next? Read "Major Changes".
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The Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Increasing Consumer Choice) Bill 2016 was passed by Parliament on 3 March 2016. The Bill gives effect to the first stage of the home care reforms announced by the Government in the 2015-16 Budget. These changes are Stage 1 - which commenced on 27 February 2017.
Don't worry. The department sent out letters in November 2016 to existing home care package recipients and new clients outlining the changes and what you need to do.
Home Care Packages Exposure Draft -
User Rights Principles 2014 1 At the end of Division 3 of Part 3 Add: 21A Individualised budget to be given to care recipient
(1) An approved provider of a home care service must give a written individualised budget to each care recipient.
(2) The individualised budget must:
(a) be prepared having regard to the care recipient’s goals and assessed needs, and the services and resources available and selected by the care recipient; and
(b) set out an itemised budget for the home care to be provided to the care recipient, as set out in the care recipient’s care plan; and
(c) set out:
(i) the amount of home care subsidy payable to the approved provider for the care recipient in respect of the period agreed between the care recipient and the provider; and
(ii) the maximum amount of home care fees payable by the care recipient in respect of that period.
The Bill amends the Aged Care Act 1997 and the Aged Care (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997 in three main areas:
Questions and answers, click here.
What IS "Consumer Directed Care" - info sheet
https://agedcare.health.gov.au/sites/g/files/net1426/f/documents/11_2016/fact_sheet_-_consumer_directed_care.pdf
Consumer Directed Care gives YOU more control over the types of care and services you receive, how they are delivered, by whom and when.
Examples:
Often you don’t know what you don’t know.
2019
15/03/2019 - Provider Newsletter: Webinar Reminder, Service Provider Finder and Medication Tool
15/03/2019 - Proposed new residential aged care funding model
14/03/2019 - Reminder: Aged care assessors have your say
13/03/2019 - Home Care Packages Program Data Report 2nd Quarter 2018-19
12/03/2019 - Webinar: My Aged Care operational update - 19 March 2019
06/03/2019 - Mandatory quality indicators for residential aged care services
05/03/2019 - 2018-19 ACAR - Allocation of Residential Care Places and Capital Grant Funding
01/03/2019 - Provider newsletter: Home care updates, home care pricing information and more
22/02/2019 - Home Care Pricing Transparency and Comparability
21/02/2019 - Industry alert: emergency planning for aged care services
20/02/2019 - Health professionals have your say - My Aged Care research survey
20/02/2019 - Aged care assessors have your say – My Aged Care research survey
18/02/2019 - Specialist Dementia Care Program - assessment pathway round tables
15/02/2019 - Provider newsletter: Aged Care Diversity Framework action plans, My Aged Care resources, and more
15/02/2019 - NATSIFAC Program Bi-annual Grant Opportunity is now open
01/02/2019 - Provider newsletter: homelessness action plan survey, streamlined assessment consultation, and more
01/02/2019 - Managing Prudential Risk in Residential Care
31/01/2019 - 2018-19 ACAR - Allocation of Short-Term Restorative Care Places
25/01/2019 - Reminder: CHSP Data Exchange data entry deadline
24/01/2019 - NATSIFAC Program Residential Care - Expansion Rounds now open
18/01/2019 - Message from DHS: Quarterly Review January 2019
18/01/2019 - CHSP home modifications growth funding announced
These videos aim to give older people just approved for a package a head start to think about what is possible, once they receive a Home Care Package.
Overview of representation
If an older person is unable or unwilling to talk to My Aged Care, you may wish to help them set up a representative. For most older people this would be a family member, carer or friend. However, any individual, including someone who works for a service provider can become a regular representative for someone in My Aged Care, with the client’s consent.
What a representative can do:
A representative for someone in My Aged Care is able to speak and act for the client including:
It is YOUR choice. It's up to the Provider to "make it happen...". If they can't do it themselves, they can sub-contract or 'broker out' the required services from other service providers. These include 'brokering it out' to the 'private sector' too.
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Advance care planning support service: Call us 1300 208 582 Call us now with your advance care planning questions, 9am - 5pm (AEST) Monday to Friday.Get advice:
https://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/2018/04/12/key-considerations-when-negotiating-cdc-package-spending/
The Department of Health says the types of care and services provided under a home care package will depend on the person’s assessed care needs.
A package should help older people to stay at home, provide tailored services and cover a person’s care and safety needs.
If a package is used to contribute towards the cost of items within a consumer’s home, the impact on a person’s individual budget, capacity to deliver other care and services and responsibility for any maintenance should be considered, the department says.
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Consumers can now take the care package they’re eligible for to the provider of their choice under a new system the government has introduced to Parliament (February 2016). Instead of government allocating aged-care service providers for people, individuals can now select a provider and, if they choose, move to another provider, taking their package with them, even if they move to another area of Australia to live i.e. the money goes With them.
“An important perspective on this is that if they should then subsequently not be happy, this bill will give them the right to transfer that package to another provider, including bringing in with them any unspent funds,” Yates added.
http://livestream.ssc.gov.au/health/2november2016/ click on “Launch Webcast”
Changing Providers and Unspent Funds:
This webinar provided an overview of how consumers will be able to change home care providers as of 27 February 2017 as a result of the Increasing Choice in home care reforms.
It covered:
Step by Step calculation of Unspent Funds for Consumer Directed Care (CDC) Home Care
November 2, 2016
The Department of Health has released a Step by Step guide on how to calculate unspent funds. More detail is required than most expect.
Read the full report
https://agedcare.health.gov.au/sites/g/files/net1426/f/documents/11_2016/mai_example_-_calculation_of_unspent_home_care_amounts_-_.pdf
Providers with strong consumer support could now see all consumers with packages as their market, and, should they want to expand, wouldn’t have to go through a government approval round and bid for places. “That’s going to lead, I believe, to a significant improvement in quality over the years that come, as good providers continue to grow and poorer providers drop out.”
Schedule of Fees and Charges for Residential and Home Care: From 1 July 2021
This page provides the latest updates to aged care fees and charges.
[i] Residents in designated remote areas may be asked to pay an additional $1.06 per day.
[ii] This rate applies to residents who enter residential care within this time period but not to those who were already in care prior to this time period. The Maximum Permissible Interest Rate applicable for the calculation of a resident’s daily payments is fixed either at their date of entry to care (for a low means resident) or the date they agree to a room price (for a resident who is not eligible for government assistance with their accommodation costs).
and do remember that the daily care fee IS negiotable.
Q. I’m currently receiving a home care package. What do the changes mean for me?
A. You do not need to do anything. You will continue to receive care and services at your existing package level. More information about the changes and what they mean for you will be provided.
If you found a suitable provider before 27 February 2017 you can enter into a home care agreement with them. If you did not enter into a home care agreement before 27 February 2017, you will be contacted by My Aged Care when a package at a suitable level becomes available. You will receive more information about the changes and what they mean for you.
Q. Will there be any changes to the level of home care packages?
A. No. In Stage 1, there will continue to be four levels of home care packages. Most of the packages are at Levels 2 and 4, reflecting the historical allocation of packages. Do note though, that the ACAT will now place you as eligible for home care at a specific package level (Level 1/2, or Level 3/4). Previously the Levels were broadbanded at 1 - 2, or 3 - 4. SO, those who are currently on Levels 1 - 2 will now be eligible for Level 2, and those who are currently on Levels 3 - 4, will now be eligible to be on Level 4. This places you on a higher Level, where you will receive more $ assistance to help you receive the services you want.
Q. Can I be approved as eligible for more than one type of care at the same time?
A. Yes. e.g. you can choose Home Care, Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC), Residential Care, Flexible Care etc. but only one at a time.
Note: since 27 February 2017, clients are able to seek a review of their priority for home care services. Just ring Aged Care line 1800 200 422 and Ask.
Q. Can my medical needs now also be considered in assessing my eligibility for home care and flexible care (similar to residential care)?
A. Yes.
Q. What support will be available to consumers to access information and choose a provider?
A. Consumers will be able to access information about home care service providers through the My Aged Care website (www.myagedcare.gov.au), or by contacting the My Aged Care contact centre (1800 200 422) and also from the My Aged Care Regional Assessment Services and ACATs.
Q. Can I have someone to help me go through the Home Care Agreement? Will they come with me when I meet the Provider?
A. Yes. Information and Advice Line - Between 9.30-4pm Monday to Friday. Free Call: 1800 818 338
ADA Australia provides general advocacy support to current and potential recipients of Community Care or Australian Government funded aged care services. With permission, we can also provide support to the carers or representative of a person receiving the above services.
Overview of representation
If an older person is unable or unwilling to talk to My Aged Care, you may wish to help them set up a representative. For most older people this would be a family member, carer or friend. However, any individual, including someone who works for a service provider can become a regular representative for someone in My Aged Care, with the client’s consent.
What a representative can do
A representative for someone in My Aged Care is able to speak and act for the client including:
Q. Can I get assistance with care planning?
A. Yes. A consumer may wish to have another person, such as a carer or family member, with them to help them during the development of their care plan.
A consumer has the right to call on an advocate of their choice to represent them in their dealings with you.
Services provided by an advocate may include:
• establishing or reviewing the Home Care Agreement, care plan and individualized budget
• negotiating the administration costs the approved provider may charge to the package budget
• presenting any complaints the consumer may have.
If requested, the approved provider must allow an advocate acting for the consumer access to the home care service. If a consumer needs an advocate, one may be made available through the ADA Australia Advocacy - Call Free 1800 818 338 between 9.30am and 4pm Monday to Friday.
Q. Will funding (home care subsidy) be paid directly to the consumer?
A. No.
Q. Will there be any changes to income testing or fee arrangements?
A. No. There are no changes to the current incoming testing or fee arrangements in home care in Stage 1 (commenced 27 February 2017).
What is Not Changing...
Increasing Choice:
an Overview
"The reality of what 'aged care' actually IS" and the IT support it needs will be better understood as it gets a larger seat at the eHealth table. While for many the concept of aged care centres around older people living in nursing homes, aged care has long been and will increasingly be delivered in the community, with the numbers of elderly people remaining at home continuing to grow and residential aged care restricted to the very old, the very frail and the very cognitively impaired."
"Aged care providers are also increasingly expanding their services, offering a bundle of residential care, retirement living, respite care, community and home care to the aged, but often also to those living with disabilities. The consumer-directed care philosophy now means that government support follows the person rather than the provider, with CDC and the NDIS fundamentally revolutionising the care sector."
With grateful thanks to Pulse+IT Weekend Edition, who keep everyone up-to-date.
The Australian Government announced significant reforms to home care in the 2015-16 Budget. These reforms will improve the way that home care services are delivered to older Australians. The reforms will be implemented in two stages.
This first stage, which started on 27 February 2017, funding for a home care package will follow the consumer. This will allow a consumer to choose a provider that is suited to them and to direct the funding to that provider. The consumer can now change their provider if they wish, including if they move to another area to live. There is now a consistent national approach to prioritizing access to home care through the My Aged Care gateway.
“After Home Care packages enter the ‘Choice and Control’ space in February, the key next step will be the introduction of Choice & Control in residential aged care,” says Ian Yates, Chief Executive of Council on the Ageing (COTA) Australia.
In Stage 1, funding (home care subsidy and supplements) will continue to be paid to an approved provider, but consumers will be able to direct Government funding to the provider of their choice.
As the changes take effect, all consumers (new and existing) will benefit from them. A home care package is now portable for the consumer, if they wish to move location or change to another provider. The package, including any unspent funds, now moves with the consumer to their new provider*.
Where an approved provider is unable to provide all of the care and services included in the consumer’s care plan, the approved provider can subcontract or broker services from another service provider.
Note: You have 56 days to change your Provider, but can be extended an extra 28 days.
* the Treatment of Unspent Funds:
* Should you look to changing your Provider, do be aware that some Providers could charge high exit fees (e.g. $4,153.00 or $0.) that might discourage you from transferring your Package to another Provider. This should appear in your original/and subsequent Home Care Agreement. Note though, that this $ Exit Fee cannot exceed the amount you have left in your account. SO, if you have spent most/all of your funds Before you leave their care, the maximum they can charge you to Exit their services is the balance in your Account. Your Provider Cannot give you a separate account for the difference.
The second stage was in July 2018, building on these changes by integrating the Home Care Packages Programme and the Commonwealth Home Support Programme into a single care at home programme. This will simplify the way that home care services are delivered and funded. This further simplifies the way that services are delivered and funded. These changes are an important step in moving towards a future aged system that is more consumer-driven, market-based and less regulated.
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https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/02_2016/increasing_choice_in_home_care_-_questions_and_answers.pdf
In relation to consumer choice and flexibility, the Productivity Commission made the following key points:
Consumer choice improves wellbeing, including higher life satisfaction, greater life expectancy, independence and better continuity of care.
Competition amongst providers in a system where consumers can exercise choice leads to a more dynamic system, with enhanced incentives for greater efficiency, innovation and quality.
A more flexible system would also enable providers to increase the range and scope of their services, freeing them from the current highly regulated, risk- averse regime.
The Government has introduced legislative amendments for the primary legislation (Aged Care Act 1997 and Aged Care (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997) into Parliament - 27 February 2017.
The reforms will be implemented in two stages.
In the first stage (commenced February 2017), funding for a home care package follows the consumer. This now enables a consumer to choose a provider that is suited to them and to direct the funding to that provider. The consumer can now change their provider if they wish, including taking it with them if they move to another area to live.
You do need to discuss with your current provider what your needs are and agree on a cessation day for your home care services. Your provider must continue to provide care up until that date. Your provider does have the right to charge an exit fee on termination which you will need to factor into your budget. This Must be in your Home Care Agreement with them.
The start date for the new provider must be on or after the day you stop using your existing provider so there is no gap in care.
The second stage builds on these changes by integrating the Home Care Packages Programme and the Commonwealth Home Support Programme into a single care at home programme. This will further simplify the way that services are delivered and funded. The Government intends to introduce the new integrated programme since July 2018. Separate legislation will be required for this stage. These changes are an important step in moving towards a future aged system that is more consumer-driven, market-based and less regulated.
This Bill gives effect to Stage 1 of the home care reforms. The Bill will amend the Aged Care Act 1997 and the Aged Care (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997 in three main areas. The changes in Stage 1 commenced on 27 February 2017.
· Funding for a home care package now follows the consumer, replacing the system where home care places were allocated to individual approved providers to deliver service in a particular location or region. This provides more choice for the consumer to selecting their provider and flexibility to change their provider if they wish, including if they move to another area to live. Providers will no longer have to apply for new Home Care places through the Aged Care Approvals Round, significantly reducing red tape and regulation for businesses.
· There is now consistent national approach to prioritising access to home care packages through My Aged Care (the Government entry point/gateway to the aged care system).
These changes will enable the sector to transition to a more competitive market-driven environment. This will provide opportunities for consumer focused and innovative providers to expand their businesses to meet local demand and consumer expectations, including the needs of consumers with dementia and other special needs. Providers are no longer be limited by the number of home care places they have been allocated by the Government. Service providers that do not currently have an allocation of home care places, and in some cases may be providing sub-contracted services to an approved provider, are now able to provide services directly to consumers (if they become an approved provider).
Consumers will access information about home care service providers through the My Aged Care website (www.myagedcare.gov.au), by contacting the My Aged Care contact centre (1800 200 422) and from the My Aged Care Regional Assessment Services and ACATs. Providers can now display relevant information on the My Aged Care service finder to enable consumers to choose their preferred provider. This will help ensure that special needs groups, including people with dementia, have access to providers who cater to their specific needs.
Providers can now market themselves to consumers and local communities independently of My Aged Care. My Aged Care will support consumers to choose a provider through a ‘match and refer’ service, noting that the consumer will make the final decision about their preferred provider.
Some consumers may require additional assistance to make an informed decision about their choice of provider. A range of supports will be available to consumers depending on their circumstances, including the Translating and Interpreting Service and advocacy services through the National Aged Care Advocacy Programme.
In cases where a package is not available for a prioritized consumer, My Aged Care will assist the consumer to explore interim care options, for example, interim services under the Commonwealth Home Support Programme.
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Integrated Carer Support Services on https://www.carersaustralia.com.au/storage/icss-carer-gateway-new-services-fact-sheet.pdf
Shifting ALL Carer services to be delivered through the Carer Gateway website.
Carers National News (CNN) is our quarterly newsletter, freely available when you subscribe to our electronic mailout service.CNN provides updates, insights and editorial from Carers Australia, news on upcoming events, carer-related topics and issues, and relevant developments in related sectors and Federal politics.
Prior issues of CNN are below:
“Under the new measure, carers will be able to access over 5,000 financial packages valued at up to $3,000 for practical supports to help them in their caring journey. The new measure will also increase the availability of respite to support carers’ wellbeing”. https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/04_2019/pbs-fact-sheet-carer-support-serviceslfexzjs.pdf
Looks like every Carer will do the Carers Star – a questionnaire to find out Your Wellbeing. Everything from Your health, Your finance, how You feel, how You are Managing at home… YOUR support worker will guide you through the 7 Star Points and discuss with you where YOU are on your caring journey and which areas you can work on to help you in your caring role.
https://carersupport.org.au/news-resources/news/2019/01/31/carer-services-will-be-transformed-this-year/
Questions for carers to ask the team caring for your loved one
Some of the questions found here may not be relevant to the stage of care of your friend or family member. But it is always good to clarify and ask any questions of the team caring for your loved one that you may have. No question is ever a wrong question, and your health care provider will always aim to answer all the questions you may have.
05 July 2021
The New system, clients will be placed on a national 'prioritization queue' when they have been approved for home care. A client's position on the queue will be dependent on:
- Your prioritization will take into account Your relative individual needs and circumstances - urgency of care needs which, if not met, would put the client's health and safety at risk, and the contact centre will make a referral for appropriate service(s) as a High Priority. This is determined through the comprehensive assessment undertaken by an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT); and
- take into account the time that a person has been waiting for care.
- Once a consumer reaches the top of the national queue, they will be assigned a home care package which they can use to receive care from a provider of their choice.
- You will receive a letter confirming that you have been assigned a package. This letter will include your unique referral code and the date that you must enter into a Home Care Agreement to prevent your package being withdrawn.
- You will Not be eligible to receive subsidised aged care services Until you have been assigned a package from the national package inventory.
- You may be offered a lower Level package (an interim package while still remaining on the waiting list for a higher level package)
- My Aged Care will support consumers, including help them with referrals to Providers
- There will not be a national waitlist for Short-Term Restorative Care services. My Aged Care will refer potential clients to a Short-Term Restorative Care provider in their area.
Key elements of the National Prioritisation Queue:
The National Prioritisation Queue allows a consistent national approach to prioritising access to Home Care Packages through My Aged Care. The queue provides a more equitable and flexible way of distributing Home Care Packages based on consumers’ individual circumstances, regardless of where they live.
Clients are prioritised based on the following two variables:
• Time waited for package (commencing from the date of delegate approval); and
• Priority for home care service.
Guidance on Priority for Home Care Services:
Clients assessed by an ACAT and approved as eligible for a Home Care Package must be approved for a:
• Home Care Package level – either 1, 2, 3, or 4 with the package level indicating the amount of care the client requires; and
• Home care services priority – either medium or high priority with the priority indicating how quickly the client requires the package. The default priority will be medium priority with only a small percentage of clients who are at immediate risk* being approved as high priority. Care level and priority for home care service are not necessarily linked – a level 4 client will not always have a 'high' priority for home care service – they may need a high level of care, but not be at immediate risk for a range of reasons.
• The priority for home care service is a delegate decision similar to the package level decision, and can be appealed by a client if they disagree with the decision. You will be told what your priority for home care service is, in the same letter that will inform you which level of package you have been
approved for.
* Immediate Risk:
- A 'high' priority for home care service should generally indicate that a client is considered at risk in terms of rapid physical, mental or cognitive decline, or in terms of their personal safety.
- A client may have a carer at risk of/ or at a crisis point.
- Clients with special needs should not be automatically be considered to have a 'high' priority, as they may not have an Urgent Need to assess a package quickly.
Home care providers do need to be aware of this upcoming change...
Improved Payment Arrangements for Home Care
11 April 2022
The changes to how we pay home care subsidies and supplements to providers will occur in 2 phases. Instead of paying the total in advance, we will pay in arrears for services delivered. We will hold unspent funds for care recipients. This is in line with other Government-funded programs.
What will change?
The way the Australian Government pays Home Care Packages Program subsidies and supplements to providers will change.
Instead of paying the full subsidy and supplements in advance each month, we will pay in arrears for services delivered. We will make changes in 2 phases. This will not affect care recipients' subsidy entitlements.
Phase 1 – 1 February 2021
In phase 1, we will pay home care subsidies in arrears each month. This is planned to begin on 1 February 2021.
We will continue to pay the full amount, regardless of the services provided in the past month. Providers will continue to hold unspent funds on behalf of their care recipients. There will be no change to how they manage unspent funds. *
* Unspent funds are the total amount of subsidy and fees you have received on behalf of a person that have not been spent.
07 September 2021
Phase 2 – 1 September 2021
In phase 2, subject to legislation passing, the payments will be for actual services provided. The Australian Government will hold any unspent Commonwealth funds. These funds will continue to be available to care recipients when needed.
This is planned to begin on 1 September 2021.
Improved Payment Arrangement (IPA) updateDue to the implementation of Phase 2 of IPA, the contents on this page are currently under review.
We encourage you to check the Improved payment arrangements for home care webpage, to access information about how this initiative impacts delivery of the Home Care Program.
Note: We do not have access to all documents created by, received by, or stored by other government entities.
11 April 2022
Why are these changes important?
These changes align home care with other Government-funded programs like the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), as well as modern business practices.
These changes will move the responsibility for holding care recipients’ Australian Government paid portion of unspent funds from the provider to the Australian Government.
This will reduce the prudential risk in home care over time, and improve protections for care recipients’ home care funds as the program grows. These changes are better suited to the service delivery, consumer-directed care nature Home Care Packages Program.
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by Judy Skatssoon July 7, 2021
POSTED INAGED CARE Concerns raised about assurance reviews
Home care providers will be subject to “assurance reviews” for the first time under new laws introduced in response to the aged care royal commission.
Sean Rooney The reviews are designed to encourage “continuous improvement”, but legal experts say they give the government the power to demand information about almost all aspects of a provider’s business and could lead to increased compliance action and more sanctions against home care providers.
LASA has also raised concern about the breadth of the provision and says the reviews are unlikely to have any effect on home care pricing apart from adding to the administrative burden.
Up to 500 home care providers each year will face assurance reviews from November, aged care services minister Richard Colbeck says.
“The reviews will examine fees and charges applied by home care providers to ensure senior Australians are not facing unjustified costs,” Mr Colbeck said.
Broad powers to investigate:
The new laws enable the department of health to conduct assurance reviews of approved providers to ensure the “effective and efficient” delivery of home care.
The review will be able to look at:
- how providers are using subsidies and calculating charges
- the nature and type of home care provided
- how providers are structuring their financial accounting for home care services
- the nature and type of providers’ dealings with clients.
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by Judy Skatssoon May 25, 2021
POSTED INAGED CARE
Pricing table a carrot and stick for providers
The government has released a new data table revealing the median cost of common home care services across Australia, which it hopes will act as a carrot to improve service offerings and a stick against unjustified charges.
Older Australians and their families will also be able to get an idea of standard pricing to help them make decisions about whether a provider’s prices are fair, says aged care services minister Richard Colbeck.
The table shows median prices for nursing, in-home respite, personal care and cleaning, as well as package and management.
The data can be viewed on a national level, by state and territory, or across metropolitan, regional, rural and remote areas.
https://communitycarereview.com.au/2021/05/25/pricing-table-a-carrot-and-stick-for-providers/
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Budget 2018-19: the sector reacts
More packages, more choice ($1.6b for 14,000 additional high-level home care packages + 6000 already announced in the second half of 2017.)
Other announcements included making available 13,500 residential aged care places and 775 short term restorative care places, with $60 million capital investment to support new places, and providing increased flexibility of funding for residential beds or home care packages by combining both programs from July 1 2018.
The Government also announced in-principle support for putting residential aged care places in the hands of consumers. COTA welcomed this and pushed for a specific date for the change at latest by next year’s Budget. “Until then with residential care allocated to providers, not in response to consumer demand, older Australians still do not have the ability to choose their nursing home, and good providers are restrained from responding to consumer preferences,” Yates said.
Navigating aged care
The Government will spend $7.4 million over two years to trial Integrated Consumer Supports, including help for older Australians to navigate aged care.
This will include 30 aged care information hubs to provide locally targeted information, 20 community hubs where members support each other in navigating aged care and a dozen specialist positions in consumer-focused organisations and the Department of Human Services to offer additional support.
Dementia Australia chief executive Maree McCabe said the peak was particularly pleased to note funding to assist people seeking information about aged care to make decisions that are right for them.
Palliative care ($32.8 million over 3 years for extra palliative care in residential aged care)
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My Aged Care system and process overviews for service providers
Page last updated: 21 August 2019
An overview of the steps that providers of aged care services follow, with links (where available) to guidance information on each step.
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Home care providers do need to be aware of this upcoming change...
https://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/executive/home-care-providers-to-be-hit-with-major-funding-change-from-june/
Home care providers to be hit with major funding change from June 2020
By Judy Skatssoon on March 4, 2020 in Community Care Review
More than 900 home care providers will receive their final payment in advance in May ahead of the
introduction of major changes to the payment system.
Peak industry organisation Leading Age Services Australia says there’s too much uncertainty around the changes and is demanding support for home care providers, in the form of transitional grants, as they transition to the new payment system which comes into effect in June.
As reported by Community Care Review in January, the aged care funding instrument ACFA has greenlighted the funding overhaul, which is designed to stem the accumulation of unspent funds which now amount to more than $800 million nationally.
The changes mean providers will be paid in arrears instead of receiving a monthly payment in advance, and will eventually only be able to claim for services delivered rather than getting a lump sum.
The government flagged the changes in last year’s budget saying the new model would align home care with other government funded programs where providers are only paid for services once they have been delivered.
In a memo to providers last week the health department confirmed the changes will commence on June 1.
Providers will get their final advance payment at the start of May and thereafter they’ll get it at the end of each month once they have lodged a claim.
The second phase of reforms, set to come in by a yet-to-be determined date, will see providers only being paid for services delivered rather than receiving a lump sum.
More information is available here.
15 January 2020
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Becoming an Approved Provider
WHO is a Provider in this new Consumer Directed Care world?
The new changes to the approved provider process mean existing residential aged care or flexible care providers can now opt-in to deliver home care without having to submit a new application. Once approved provider status has been granted it will no longer lapse, whether the approval is for home care, residential care or flexible care.
An approved provider is responsible for the decisions about the delivery of care and financial management of subsidies and care recipient’s fees and payments. Approved providers have responsibilities and obligations to deliver the care in line with the standards that are specified in the Aged Care Act 1997 (the Act) and the Principles made under section 96-1 of the Act (the Principles).
An approved provider of aged care is an organisation that has been approved to provide residential care, home and/or flexible care under the Act.
The approved provider is responsible for the decisions about the delivery of care and financial management and has responsibilities and obligations to deliver the care in line with the standards that are specified in the Act and the Principles. Approved providers receive subsidies for the delivery of care to care recipients.
To gain approval as a provider of aged care under the Act, the applicant must be assessed by the department as suitable to provide aged care.
What you must know before applying to become a provider of aged care.
- Your organisation must be incorporated
- Your organisation must be able to demonstrate how it is suitable to provide aged care
- Your organisation must not have any disqualified individuals as key personnel
- You must apply using the approved form
Why do I have to use the approved form?
Under the Act, an application for approval to provide home, residential and/or flexible care must be made using the approved application form that is current at the time you submit your application. All application forms are developed to ensure that applicants provide the necessary information to allow an assessment against the suitability criteria. Forms that are incomplete or have been altered will not be accepted.
21 August 2019
The changes strengthen the focus on the capacity of the applicant as a whole, including its systems and processes, to deliver quality care and services. There is also less focus on an organisation’s key personnel, who may change regularly. In the near future an online smart form will be made available to make it even easier to apply to become an approved provider of aged care.
- increased competition from new players including residential care, retirement living operators, Commonwealth Home Services Programme (CHSP) providers, private home care providers and brokerage agencies (these brokered agencies will be the biggest challenge for approved providers because they already have the systems and processes in place to provide services; they already have staff and in a lot of cases they have quite strong relationships with the clients, stronger than the approved provider)
- competition will also come from retirement village operators looking to provide services to their residents and from large GP practices
- allied health businesses were also expressing an interest in becoming approved home care providers, especially in the context of an increased focus on wellness and reablement i.e. your Physiotherapist centre, your local Health Centre, the firm that provides your Meals, a professional service that you trust... they can now apply.
- strong competition would come from labour hire companies that currently supply staff to aged care
- home care franchise groups and residential care providers who are looking to deliver community care
- The number of home care providers has grown by 40 per cent in the last financial year as new entrants flood the deregulated marketplace, new figures reveal.
- Increase in marketing to consumers and business tactics used by providers to ‘win’ customers.
The National Screening and Assessment Form Fact Sheet: https://agedcare.health.gov.au/programs-services/my-aged-care/national-screening-and-assessment-form
02 November 2018
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Wondering what changes are coming next? Read "Major Changes".
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The Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Increasing Consumer Choice) Bill 2016 was passed by Parliament on 3 March 2016. The Bill gives effect to the first stage of the home care reforms announced by the Government in the 2015-16 Budget. These changes are Stage 1 - which commenced on 27 February 2017.
Don't worry. The department sent out letters in November 2016 to existing home care package recipients and new clients outlining the changes and what you need to do.
- Based on the results from your original comprehensive assessment, you were assessed as requiring home care package services.
- You will need to contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 if you would still like to be considered for a home care package so that you can be placed on the national 'priority queue'.
- You may be asked to contribute to the cost of your home care package services.
- To get an indication of what you may be asked to contribute, a Fee Estimator tool is available on the My Aged Care website.
- The actual fees you may be asked to pay will depend on a formal income assessment conducted by the Department of Human Services (DHS).
- When a package becomes available you will receive a letter from My Aged Care.
- Once you begin receiving home care package services, your CHSP provider should contact you to discuss your transition to a home care package.
Home Care Packages Exposure Draft -
User Rights Principles 2014 1 At the end of Division 3 of Part 3 Add: 21A Individualised budget to be given to care recipient
(1) An approved provider of a home care service must give a written individualised budget to each care recipient.
(2) The individualised budget must:
(a) be prepared having regard to the care recipient’s goals and assessed needs, and the services and resources available and selected by the care recipient; and
(b) set out an itemised budget for the home care to be provided to the care recipient, as set out in the care recipient’s care plan; and
(c) set out:
(i) the amount of home care subsidy payable to the approved provider for the care recipient in respect of the period agreed between the care recipient and the provider; and
(ii) the maximum amount of home care fees payable by the care recipient in respect of that period.
The Bill amends the Aged Care Act 1997 and the Aged Care (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997 in three main areas:
- Funding for a home care package will follow the consumer, replacing the current system where home care places are allocated to individual approved providers.
- There will be a consistent national approach to prioritising access to home care packages within My Aged Care called the national prioritization queue.
- Arrangements for providers to become approved under the Aged Care Act 1997 will also be streamlined. This will encourage new providers to enter the home care market, supporting greater choice for consumers, but all providers will still need to demonstrate their suitability to become an approved provider and meet quality standards.
Questions and answers, click here.
What IS "Consumer Directed Care" - info sheet
https://agedcare.health.gov.au/sites/g/files/net1426/f/documents/11_2016/fact_sheet_-_consumer_directed_care.pdf
Consumer Directed Care gives YOU more control over the types of care and services you receive, how they are delivered, by whom and when.
Examples:
- YOU want to make an early start each day (you need help getting out of bed, toileting, showering, and dressing),
- You Want "Jane" to come and help you with this...
- YOU want to go to the movies,
- a walk along the beach,
- to catch a taxi instead of having to wait around for the provider's bus to arrive,
- THAT particular walker or wheelchair...
- A Community Nurse is a vital part of your Care Team when you are in your own Home. It's also Very Handy to have a Nurse on call 24/7. Someone who knows you, and can come to your own home. With community nursing, a patient will, in most cases, see the same nurse regularly. This can make it easier for the nurse to build a rapport with the patient and to notice subtle changes in the patient’s condition.
- Community nurses also liaise with the patient’s family and other healthcare providers, such as GPs and specialists, to ensure everyone is on the same page with regard to the patient’s care.
- for your medical health and wellbeing, YOU Need to have an air-conditioner in the lounge room and bedroom ($ can come out of your package)
- and you Need a new washing machine now that your illness is advancing... you are incontinent...
Often you don’t know what you don’t know.
2019
15/03/2019 - Provider Newsletter: Webinar Reminder, Service Provider Finder and Medication Tool
15/03/2019 - Proposed new residential aged care funding model
14/03/2019 - Reminder: Aged care assessors have your say
13/03/2019 - Home Care Packages Program Data Report 2nd Quarter 2018-19
12/03/2019 - Webinar: My Aged Care operational update - 19 March 2019
06/03/2019 - Mandatory quality indicators for residential aged care services
05/03/2019 - 2018-19 ACAR - Allocation of Residential Care Places and Capital Grant Funding
01/03/2019 - Provider newsletter: Home care updates, home care pricing information and more
22/02/2019 - Home Care Pricing Transparency and Comparability
21/02/2019 - Industry alert: emergency planning for aged care services
20/02/2019 - Health professionals have your say - My Aged Care research survey
20/02/2019 - Aged care assessors have your say – My Aged Care research survey
18/02/2019 - Specialist Dementia Care Program - assessment pathway round tables
15/02/2019 - Provider newsletter: Aged Care Diversity Framework action plans, My Aged Care resources, and more
15/02/2019 - NATSIFAC Program Bi-annual Grant Opportunity is now open
01/02/2019 - Provider newsletter: homelessness action plan survey, streamlined assessment consultation, and more
01/02/2019 - Managing Prudential Risk in Residential Care
31/01/2019 - 2018-19 ACAR - Allocation of Short-Term Restorative Care Places
25/01/2019 - Reminder: CHSP Data Exchange data entry deadline
24/01/2019 - NATSIFAC Program Residential Care - Expansion Rounds now open
18/01/2019 - Message from DHS: Quarterly Review January 2019
18/01/2019 - CHSP home modifications growth funding announced
These videos aim to give older people just approved for a package a head start to think about what is possible, once they receive a Home Care Package.
Overview of representation
If an older person is unable or unwilling to talk to My Aged Care, you may wish to help them set up a representative. For most older people this would be a family member, carer or friend. However, any individual, including someone who works for a service provider can become a regular representative for someone in My Aged Care, with the client’s consent.
What a representative can do:
A representative for someone in My Aged Care is able to speak and act for the client including:
- give information to My Aged Care about the client including talking to assessors, the My Aged Care contact centre and service providers
- get information about a client’s progress in My Aged Care
- make decisions about aged care assessment and referrals for aged care services
- see and update client information through the contact centre or on the My Aged Care client record on myGov
- be listed as the client’s primary contact so they can be the first contact point for My Aged Care.
It is YOUR choice. It's up to the Provider to "make it happen...". If they can't do it themselves, they can sub-contract or 'broker out' the required services from other service providers. These include 'brokering it out' to the 'private sector' too.
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Advance care planning support service: Call us 1300 208 582 Call us now with your advance care planning questions, 9am - 5pm (AEST) Monday to Friday.Get advice:
https://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/2018/04/12/key-considerations-when-negotiating-cdc-package-spending/
The Department of Health says the types of care and services provided under a home care package will depend on the person’s assessed care needs.
A package should help older people to stay at home, provide tailored services and cover a person’s care and safety needs.
If a package is used to contribute towards the cost of items within a consumer’s home, the impact on a person’s individual budget, capacity to deliver other care and services and responsibility for any maintenance should be considered, the department says.
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Consumers can now take the care package they’re eligible for to the provider of their choice under a new system the government has introduced to Parliament (February 2016). Instead of government allocating aged-care service providers for people, individuals can now select a provider and, if they choose, move to another provider, taking their package with them, even if they move to another area of Australia to live i.e. the money goes With them.
“An important perspective on this is that if they should then subsequently not be happy, this bill will give them the right to transfer that package to another provider, including bringing in with them any unspent funds,” Yates added.
http://livestream.ssc.gov.au/health/2november2016/ click on “Launch Webcast”
Changing Providers and Unspent Funds:
This webinar provided an overview of how consumers will be able to change home care providers as of 27 February 2017 as a result of the Increasing Choice in home care reforms.
It covered:
- the consumer’s role when changing providers;
- obligations for the existing provider and the new provider;
- requirements for providers to manage unspent home care amounts; and
- arrangements for exit amounts in your Increasing Choice measure commenced from 27 February 2017.
Step by Step calculation of Unspent Funds for Consumer Directed Care (CDC) Home Care
November 2, 2016
The Department of Health has released a Step by Step guide on how to calculate unspent funds. More detail is required than most expect.
Read the full report
https://agedcare.health.gov.au/sites/g/files/net1426/f/documents/11_2016/mai_example_-_calculation_of_unspent_home_care_amounts_-_.pdf
Providers with strong consumer support could now see all consumers with packages as their market, and, should they want to expand, wouldn’t have to go through a government approval round and bid for places. “That’s going to lead, I believe, to a significant improvement in quality over the years that come, as good providers continue to grow and poorer providers drop out.”
Schedule of Fees and Charges for Residential and Home Care: From 1 July 2021
This page provides the latest updates to aged care fees and charges.
[i] Residents in designated remote areas may be asked to pay an additional $1.06 per day.
[ii] This rate applies to residents who enter residential care within this time period but not to those who were already in care prior to this time period. The Maximum Permissible Interest Rate applicable for the calculation of a resident’s daily payments is fixed either at their date of entry to care (for a low means resident) or the date they agree to a room price (for a resident who is not eligible for government assistance with their accommodation costs).
and do remember that the daily care fee IS negiotable.
Q. I’m currently receiving a home care package. What do the changes mean for me?
A. You do not need to do anything. You will continue to receive care and services at your existing package level. More information about the changes and what they mean for you will be provided.
If you found a suitable provider before 27 February 2017 you can enter into a home care agreement with them. If you did not enter into a home care agreement before 27 February 2017, you will be contacted by My Aged Care when a package at a suitable level becomes available. You will receive more information about the changes and what they mean for you.
Q. Will there be any changes to the level of home care packages?
A. No. In Stage 1, there will continue to be four levels of home care packages. Most of the packages are at Levels 2 and 4, reflecting the historical allocation of packages. Do note though, that the ACAT will now place you as eligible for home care at a specific package level (Level 1/2, or Level 3/4). Previously the Levels were broadbanded at 1 - 2, or 3 - 4. SO, those who are currently on Levels 1 - 2 will now be eligible for Level 2, and those who are currently on Levels 3 - 4, will now be eligible to be on Level 4. This places you on a higher Level, where you will receive more $ assistance to help you receive the services you want.
Q. Can I be approved as eligible for more than one type of care at the same time?
A. Yes. e.g. you can choose Home Care, Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC), Residential Care, Flexible Care etc. but only one at a time.
Note: since 27 February 2017, clients are able to seek a review of their priority for home care services. Just ring Aged Care line 1800 200 422 and Ask.
Q. Can my medical needs now also be considered in assessing my eligibility for home care and flexible care (similar to residential care)?
A. Yes.
Q. What support will be available to consumers to access information and choose a provider?
A. Consumers will be able to access information about home care service providers through the My Aged Care website (www.myagedcare.gov.au), or by contacting the My Aged Care contact centre (1800 200 422) and also from the My Aged Care Regional Assessment Services and ACATs.
Q. Can I have someone to help me go through the Home Care Agreement? Will they come with me when I meet the Provider?
A. Yes. Information and Advice Line - Between 9.30-4pm Monday to Friday. Free Call: 1800 818 338
ADA Australia provides general advocacy support to current and potential recipients of Community Care or Australian Government funded aged care services. With permission, we can also provide support to the carers or representative of a person receiving the above services.
Overview of representation
If an older person is unable or unwilling to talk to My Aged Care, you may wish to help them set up a representative. For most older people this would be a family member, carer or friend. However, any individual, including someone who works for a service provider can become a regular representative for someone in My Aged Care, with the client’s consent.
What a representative can do
A representative for someone in My Aged Care is able to speak and act for the client including:
- give information to My Aged Care about the client including talking to assessors, the My Aged Care contact centre and service providers
- get information about a client’s progress in My Aged Care
- make decisions about aged care assessment and referrals for aged care services
- see and update client information through the contact centre or on the My Aged Care client record on myGov
- be listed as the client’s primary contact so they can be the first contact point for My Aged Care.
Q. Can I get assistance with care planning?
A. Yes. A consumer may wish to have another person, such as a carer or family member, with them to help them during the development of their care plan.
A consumer has the right to call on an advocate of their choice to represent them in their dealings with you.
Services provided by an advocate may include:
• establishing or reviewing the Home Care Agreement, care plan and individualized budget
• negotiating the administration costs the approved provider may charge to the package budget
• presenting any complaints the consumer may have.
If requested, the approved provider must allow an advocate acting for the consumer access to the home care service. If a consumer needs an advocate, one may be made available through the ADA Australia Advocacy - Call Free 1800 818 338 between 9.30am and 4pm Monday to Friday.
Q. Will funding (home care subsidy) be paid directly to the consumer?
A. No.
Q. Will there be any changes to income testing or fee arrangements?
A. No. There are no changes to the current incoming testing or fee arrangements in home care in Stage 1 (commenced 27 February 2017).
What is Not Changing...
- Your Package Level will not change - however, if you are on Level 1, you will be upped to Level 2, and if you are on Level 3, you will be upped to Level 4.
- Existing home care consumers will continue to receive care and services
- the number of home care packages will still be capped
- Home Care subsidy and supplements will still be paid to an approved provider
- Home Care packages will continue to be delivered on a CDC basis
- Claims and payments continue to be made through the Department of Human Services
- All approved Providers must continue to meet relevant quality or accreditation standards.
Increasing Choice:
an Overview
"The reality of what 'aged care' actually IS" and the IT support it needs will be better understood as it gets a larger seat at the eHealth table. While for many the concept of aged care centres around older people living in nursing homes, aged care has long been and will increasingly be delivered in the community, with the numbers of elderly people remaining at home continuing to grow and residential aged care restricted to the very old, the very frail and the very cognitively impaired."
"Aged care providers are also increasingly expanding their services, offering a bundle of residential care, retirement living, respite care, community and home care to the aged, but often also to those living with disabilities. The consumer-directed care philosophy now means that government support follows the person rather than the provider, with CDC and the NDIS fundamentally revolutionising the care sector."
With grateful thanks to Pulse+IT Weekend Edition, who keep everyone up-to-date.
The Australian Government announced significant reforms to home care in the 2015-16 Budget. These reforms will improve the way that home care services are delivered to older Australians. The reforms will be implemented in two stages.
This first stage, which started on 27 February 2017, funding for a home care package will follow the consumer. This will allow a consumer to choose a provider that is suited to them and to direct the funding to that provider. The consumer can now change their provider if they wish, including if they move to another area to live. There is now a consistent national approach to prioritizing access to home care through the My Aged Care gateway.
“After Home Care packages enter the ‘Choice and Control’ space in February, the key next step will be the introduction of Choice & Control in residential aged care,” says Ian Yates, Chief Executive of Council on the Ageing (COTA) Australia.
In Stage 1, funding (home care subsidy and supplements) will continue to be paid to an approved provider, but consumers will be able to direct Government funding to the provider of their choice.
As the changes take effect, all consumers (new and existing) will benefit from them. A home care package is now portable for the consumer, if they wish to move location or change to another provider. The package, including any unspent funds, now moves with the consumer to their new provider*.
Where an approved provider is unable to provide all of the care and services included in the consumer’s care plan, the approved provider can subcontract or broker services from another service provider.
Note: You have 56 days to change your Provider, but can be extended an extra 28 days.
* the Treatment of Unspent Funds:
- where a consumer moves to another home care provider, unspent funds must be returned to the consumer (or their estate) and the Commonwealth, based on the respective contribution made by each party
- the existing provider will be able to retain some of the unspent funds (eg as an administrative charge of 'exit fee') provided there is full disclosure to the consumer prior to the commencement of the Package.
- clearly set out the maximum exit fee (if any) in the person's Home Care Agreement*
- publish relevant information on My Aged Care
- operational details will be set out in the User Rights Principles and Aged Care Legislation
* Should you look to changing your Provider, do be aware that some Providers could charge high exit fees (e.g. $4,153.00 or $0.) that might discourage you from transferring your Package to another Provider. This should appear in your original/and subsequent Home Care Agreement. Note though, that this $ Exit Fee cannot exceed the amount you have left in your account. SO, if you have spent most/all of your funds Before you leave their care, the maximum they can charge you to Exit their services is the balance in your Account. Your Provider Cannot give you a separate account for the difference.
- Check out My Aged Care www.myagedcare.gov.au
- Remember, there is NO minimum mandated period that you should stay with a Provider. Your Agreement is between YOU and the Provider. Negotiate...
- You do not have to agree to whatever the Provider places in front of you. Do take the time to actually read through All of your Home Care Agreement. Remember, this is a legal document. Your Provider CANNOT CHANGE any part of it without 'Your' Consent. Seek advice from someone you trust Before you sign. If you need help, an advocate can be made available through the ADA Australia Advocacy - Call Free 1800 818 338 between 9.30am and 4pm Monday to Friday.
- New information published on My Aged Care has revealed huge market variation in the maximum exit fees clients can expect to pay when they leave their home care service. From 27 February, home care providers have been required by legislation to publish their maximum exit charges on the government’s My Aged Care website, making this information publicly available for the first time.
- Since changes were introduced on 27 February, the government’s My Aged Care website now enables home care providers to disclose
- the average percentage of home care package funds available for service,
- average evening and weekend surcharges and pricing schedule information. - While these fields are not mandatory to complete, the government’s intention was to increase transparency for consumers and assist them to make informed decisions in a competitive market. Note not all Providers have provided their information on the My Aged Care website as yet. Do check it out.
The second stage was in July 2018, building on these changes by integrating the Home Care Packages Programme and the Commonwealth Home Support Programme into a single care at home programme. This will simplify the way that home care services are delivered and funded. This further simplifies the way that services are delivered and funded. These changes are an important step in moving towards a future aged system that is more consumer-driven, market-based and less regulated.
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https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/02_2016/increasing_choice_in_home_care_-_questions_and_answers.pdf
In relation to consumer choice and flexibility, the Productivity Commission made the following key points:
Consumer choice improves wellbeing, including higher life satisfaction, greater life expectancy, independence and better continuity of care.
Competition amongst providers in a system where consumers can exercise choice leads to a more dynamic system, with enhanced incentives for greater efficiency, innovation and quality.
A more flexible system would also enable providers to increase the range and scope of their services, freeing them from the current highly regulated, risk- averse regime.
The Government has introduced legislative amendments for the primary legislation (Aged Care Act 1997 and Aged Care (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997) into Parliament - 27 February 2017.
The reforms will be implemented in two stages.
In the first stage (commenced February 2017), funding for a home care package follows the consumer. This now enables a consumer to choose a provider that is suited to them and to direct the funding to that provider. The consumer can now change their provider if they wish, including taking it with them if they move to another area to live.
You do need to discuss with your current provider what your needs are and agree on a cessation day for your home care services. Your provider must continue to provide care up until that date. Your provider does have the right to charge an exit fee on termination which you will need to factor into your budget. This Must be in your Home Care Agreement with them.
The start date for the new provider must be on or after the day you stop using your existing provider so there is no gap in care.
The second stage builds on these changes by integrating the Home Care Packages Programme and the Commonwealth Home Support Programme into a single care at home programme. This will further simplify the way that services are delivered and funded. The Government intends to introduce the new integrated programme since July 2018. Separate legislation will be required for this stage. These changes are an important step in moving towards a future aged system that is more consumer-driven, market-based and less regulated.
This Bill gives effect to Stage 1 of the home care reforms. The Bill will amend the Aged Care Act 1997 and the Aged Care (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997 in three main areas. The changes in Stage 1 commenced on 27 February 2017.
· Funding for a home care package now follows the consumer, replacing the system where home care places were allocated to individual approved providers to deliver service in a particular location or region. This provides more choice for the consumer to selecting their provider and flexibility to change their provider if they wish, including if they move to another area to live. Providers will no longer have to apply for new Home Care places through the Aged Care Approvals Round, significantly reducing red tape and regulation for businesses.
· There is now consistent national approach to prioritising access to home care packages through My Aged Care (the Government entry point/gateway to the aged care system).
These changes will enable the sector to transition to a more competitive market-driven environment. This will provide opportunities for consumer focused and innovative providers to expand their businesses to meet local demand and consumer expectations, including the needs of consumers with dementia and other special needs. Providers are no longer be limited by the number of home care places they have been allocated by the Government. Service providers that do not currently have an allocation of home care places, and in some cases may be providing sub-contracted services to an approved provider, are now able to provide services directly to consumers (if they become an approved provider).
Consumers will access information about home care service providers through the My Aged Care website (www.myagedcare.gov.au), by contacting the My Aged Care contact centre (1800 200 422) and from the My Aged Care Regional Assessment Services and ACATs. Providers can now display relevant information on the My Aged Care service finder to enable consumers to choose their preferred provider. This will help ensure that special needs groups, including people with dementia, have access to providers who cater to their specific needs.
Providers can now market themselves to consumers and local communities independently of My Aged Care. My Aged Care will support consumers to choose a provider through a ‘match and refer’ service, noting that the consumer will make the final decision about their preferred provider.
Some consumers may require additional assistance to make an informed decision about their choice of provider. A range of supports will be available to consumers depending on their circumstances, including the Translating and Interpreting Service and advocacy services through the National Aged Care Advocacy Programme.
In cases where a package is not available for a prioritized consumer, My Aged Care will assist the consumer to explore interim care options, for example, interim services under the Commonwealth Home Support Programme.
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Integrated Carer Support Services on https://www.carersaustralia.com.au/storage/icss-carer-gateway-new-services-fact-sheet.pdf
Shifting ALL Carer services to be delivered through the Carer Gateway website.
Carers National News (CNN) is our quarterly newsletter, freely available when you subscribe to our electronic mailout service.CNN provides updates, insights and editorial from Carers Australia, news on upcoming events, carer-related topics and issues, and relevant developments in related sectors and Federal politics.
Prior issues of CNN are below:
“Under the new measure, carers will be able to access over 5,000 financial packages valued at up to $3,000 for practical supports to help them in their caring journey. The new measure will also increase the availability of respite to support carers’ wellbeing”. https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/04_2019/pbs-fact-sheet-carer-support-serviceslfexzjs.pdf
Looks like every Carer will do the Carers Star – a questionnaire to find out Your Wellbeing. Everything from Your health, Your finance, how You feel, how You are Managing at home… YOUR support worker will guide you through the 7 Star Points and discuss with you where YOU are on your caring journey and which areas you can work on to help you in your caring role.
https://carersupport.org.au/news-resources/news/2019/01/31/carer-services-will-be-transformed-this-year/
Questions for carers to ask the team caring for your loved one
Some of the questions found here may not be relevant to the stage of care of your friend or family member. But it is always good to clarify and ask any questions of the team caring for your loved one that you may have. No question is ever a wrong question, and your health care provider will always aim to answer all the questions you may have.
05 July 2021