by Amy Cheng January 19, 2022
Government releases overview of new home care program
The Support at Home program will bring all in home aged care providers under one funding model, a new paper has revealed.
The Federal Government has released its Support at Home Program Overview paper, which outlines what the program design could look like, including assessment, services, funding arrangements and care management.
The new program will start in July 2023 and will replace the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) Home Care Packages (HCP) Program and Short Term Restorative Care (STRC) Programme.
It was created as a response to the findings in the aged care royal commission.
According to the paper, Support at Home providers will be paid on a fee-for-service basis.
“Payments would be made based on the agreed prices for the service list, once services specified in a person’s support plan have been delivered,” the paper said.
A Point of Delivery Payment Platform is currently being developed and will enable providers to receive payments in real time, from both government and senior Australians.
“The platform would also assist in capturing information from providers about service delivery and their clients, automating reporting on service provision,” the paper said.
Under the new program, providers and senior Australians will not be able to accrue unspent funds because providers will be paid as services are delivered. “For example, if a person goes on holiday and does not require their cleaning services, the provider would not receive payment for them, and the senior Australian would not accrue their entitlement,” the paper said.
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Supporting informal carers
Informal carers will also be supported through the program, with improved integration between My Aged Care and the Carer Gateway.
“The Carer Gateway will enable carers to book respite services in advance and provide assistance through counselling, coaching, peer support and skills training,” the paper said.
“There is also access to specialised dementia carer education through the Carer Gateway.”
The outcomes of a senior Australian’s assessment and their service recommendations will be reflective of the support provided by their informal carer, with the new assessment tool to compile information about the carer and their identity.
Self-managed care
Under the new program, clients will be able to self-manage their care and even use multiple service providers if they wish.
“The Approved Provider model is under review, with alternative approaches with risk-proportionate regulation and market-entry requirements under development,” the paper said.
“The intent is to assure safe and quality care can be delivered with appropriate oversight, including by small businesses, without undue administrative burden.”
Self-management will be enabled by a new payments platform that will allow senior Australians and providers to view the person’s entitlements and book and pay for services at the point of delivery.
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New assessment tool and service list Other changes to the program include a new assessment tool and a service list.
An Integrated Assessment Tool will be introduced in July 2023 to better match services to a person’s aged care support needs.
“The tool will assess eligibility for all aged care programs, including home care, residential care, transition care, multi-purpose services and respite,” the paper said.
A Service List will be used to inform senior Australians and providers of the services available in the new program.
“Services included on the Service List would be available to senior Australians at a Commonwealth Government subsidised cost,” the paper said.
“Providers may choose to offer additional services to senior Australians; however, these would not receive Commonwealth Government funding and would be at the person’s own cost.”
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in the meantime:
Home care providers do need to be aware of this:
Change since 1 February 2021
Improved Payment Arrangements for Home Care
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.
Richard Colbeck
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
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 on 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.
Phase 2 – on 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.
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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AN ABSOLUTELY MUST READ:
Benefits and entitlements for retirees and seniors
Last Updated at December 2nd 2021
There are many different payments and supplements available to seniors and retirees to help with daily living and health expenses.
Key points:
The maximum basic rate for the Age Pension (as of 1 October 2021) is $882.20 for a single person or $1,330 for a couple combined.
Carer Payment
If you are providing ongoing or constant care to a person with a disability or illness, you may also qualify for a Carer Payment. This payment aims to assist people who have caring duties that stop or impact them from being able to work in paid employment.
The Carer Payment is an income and assets tested support payment, which is considered a form of Government pension.
Carer Supplement
The Carer Supplement is a once a year lump sum to top up carers financially besides receiving their normal income payments.
You may be eligible to receive the supplement of $600 per person per year if you receive an income support payment like the Carer Allowance, Carer Payment, Department of Veterans' Affairs Partner Service Pension and Carer Allowances, or Department of Veterans' Affairs Carer Service Pension.
If eligible for the payment, you will receive the supplement for each person you care for. If you are a part time carer, you'll get a part rate of this Carer Supplement depending on how much care hours you currently provide.
You do not have to apply for the supplement, Centrelink will automatically pay you the supplement directly into your bank account if you are eligible and already receive the income support option listed above.
CONCESSION CARD
SENIOR HEALTH CARE CARD
https://www.qld.gov.au/seniors/legal-finance-concessions/seniors-card/applying-seniors-card
Essential Medical Equipment Payment
If you have medical equipment or medically require heating or cooling in your home, then you may be eligible for a yearly payment to help with energy costs.
You can receive $164 per year (as of 8 July 2021) for medically required heating or cooling and each piece of qualifying essential medical equipment.
Some eligible medication conditions include spinal cord injuries, stroke, brain injury, muscular dystrophies, or rare sweating disorders. Other eligible conditions can be found on the Centrelink website. There is also a list of equipment that would be eligible under the payment.
You might have to provide evidence of the equipment you use and what for, so you can receive the payment.
To claim the Medical Equipment Payment, visit the Centrelink website.
ENERGY SUPPLEMENT
RENT ASSISTANCE
CONTINENCE AIDS PAYMENT SCHEME
FREE HEALTHCARE ENTITLEMENTS FOR SENIORS
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healthcare in the home
To inform debate at the forum, the Centre produced an issues paper of the same name that compares hospital treatment with acute and chronic treatment services in the home.
The paper found that, in many cases:
The Older Persons COVID-19 Support Line informs, supports and connects for older Australians
Some older people are vulnerable to COVID-19 but less connected to the internet and in need of ways to access information for their circumstances. The Older Persons COVID-19 Support Line provides information and support.
Older Australians, their families, friends and carers can FREECALL 1800 171 866 if they:
would like to talk with someone about the COVID-19 restrictions and its impact on them
feel lonely or worry about a loved one
care for someone and need some information or someone to talk to
need help or advice about changing the aged care services they are receiving
need help to access new care services or essential supplies such as shopping
have concern about themselves, a friend or family member living with Dementia
would like to arrange a one-off or regular wellbeing check for themselves, or someone else.
Older Australians, their relatives, carers, friends or supporters can:
call 1800 171 866
8.30am – 6pm AEST weekdays
for any information or services they may need.
The Older Persons COVID-19 Support Line is a joint initiative of:
COTA Australia,
Dementia Australia,
National Seniors and
OPAN,
supported by funding from the Australian Government.
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Schedule of Fees and Charges for Residential and Home Care: From 20 March 2022
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.
Home Care Packages Program: Operational Manual for Home Care Package consumers - Version 1 - March 2020
Calls For Cap On “Exorbitant” Home Care Administration Fees
By Caroline Egan. Feb 4, 2021
The Federal Member for Mayo is calling on the government to introduce caps on home care administration fees, claiming that charging older Australians receiving in-home care such “exorbitant” fees is akin to “elder abuse”.
Rebekha Sharkie said some providers are “gouging” more than 45% of home care packages in fees and charges. “My office has received complaint after complaint from constituents whose family members are paying between a third and up to a half of their annual package in so-called ‘management fees’,” Sharkie said in a statement.
Can I self-manage my Home Care Package? Yes, some providers will let you manage your own Home Care Package which can help you save money on fees. However, if you choose to do this, there is more work involved for you, so it’s best to make sure it’s the right option for you.
Read more
Finding a Provider... To find latest vacancies, have a look here. then click on different Providers to learn more. Please note that once given a Package, you have 56 days (with the option of an extension of 28 days) to take up a package with your chosen Provider before it is withdrawn, and goes back into the national 'prioritization queue’ . All is not lost though, an older person can 'opt out' if they are not ready to take up a package but still retain their place in the queue, should they choose to rejoin later.
The department is notifying older people on the queue when they are likely to be assigned a package within 90 days.
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:
The future of health care is not in hospitals
By Gihan Perera
Monday, 10 February, 2020
Read more: http://hospitalhealth.com.au/content/technology/article/the-future-of-health-care-is-not-in-hospitals-948585751#ixzz6DcnXA9Qa
Patients don’t care about hospitals; they care about their health. In the past, the hospital experience was a significant part of health care, but that won’t necessarily be true in the future. If you’re a hospital leader, look beyond your four walls and consider the entire patient journey, because that’s the only way to stay ahead of the game and avoid disruption.
With our ageing population, exponential technology advances and the increase in chronic diseases, the healthcare sector will play an ever-increasing role in our lives. Deloitte predicts healthcare spending worldwide will explode to $14 trillion (that’s trillion, with a ‘t’) by 2022.
But this growth won’t be distributed evenly and there will be winners and losers. Hospitals in particular are vulnerable because many of the services they provide will occur elsewhere. If hospitals keep making incremental changes, they will be vulnerable to disruption from elsewhere.
To protect from disruption, the hospital sector must take a broader perspective. In particular, it is important to consider how patients will engage with the healthcare system in the future.
Map the future patient journey. No-one knows exactly how people will behave in the future, but it is possible to get a good idea by mapping patients’ typical journeys through the healthcare system. For example, consider a common situation that hospitals face: a patient suffering a heart attack who requires emergency care. Let’s imagine how this patient’s journey might look in the near future.
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Older Aussies get dedicated pandemic support line
By: Dallas Bastian in News, Top Stories April 23, 2020
Senior Australians, their families and carers who seek help or advice about navigating the coronavirus pandemic now have access to a dedicated free call support line. The support line will operate Monday to Friday, except public holidays, from 8.30am to 6pm. It can be reached on 1800 171 866.
The phone line was set up by the government in conjunction with COTA Australia, National Seniors Australia, the Older Persons Advocacy Network and Dementia Australia.
Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians Richard Colbeck urged Australians to make use of support if they are feeling lonely, distressed, troubled or confused. OPAN chief executive Craig Gear said the hotline will provide particular support to those accessing aged care services who are disproportionately impacted by health precautions and restrictions. “People are scared and confused,” Gear said. “Many are unsure what is safe and what isn’t. The hotline is an important part of what will need to be a big community response. We need everyone checking in and supporting older people in aged care in particular because they are vulnerable to both the virus and social isolation.”
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Government To Conduct Welfare Checks On Those Deferring Home Care
By The Hon Richard Colbeck. Apr 8, 2020
Welfare checks will be conducted on Senior Australians who have elected to defer aged care home services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians Richard Colbeck said home care recipients who had suspended services to avoid the risk of contracting the virus would now receive phone calls to ensure their wellbeing.
“We don’t want people to fall through the cracks,” Minister Colbeck said. “Elderly people who receive home care visits are often extremely vulnerable.
“It’s clear some Senior Australians are anxious about the risks of visits from providers.
“Of course, it’s their choice to receive or not receive care – but we remain determined to ensure those who need support are still receiving it.”
Minister Colbeck said it was another measure to ensure Senior Australians received the support they needed during a difficult time.
BEFORE you make any decision, do contact your preferred Provider to find out how they are handling the changes. You may even come up with a suggestion of your own!!!
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Apply for an assessment online in 3 easy steps
https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/assessment/apply-online
Before you can access government-subsidised aged care services for the first time, you need to apply for an assessment. Using the online application is quick and easy and will only take 15 to 20 minutes to complete.
It’s the same form to apply for all types of care and support – including help at home, short-term care, and care in an aged care home. You can complete the application yourself or on behalf of a family member or friend. If you’d like to set up an ongoing representative, you can also do that here.
There are three parts. The first checks you are eligible, the second captures your details, and the third confirms who the assessor should call to arrange the assessment. You will need your Medicare card and enough time to complete it.
Start now
All Guides to Aged Care - just click on what YOU want to know NOW:-
https://www.agedcareguide.com.au/information/all
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Your first stop:
This section gives you easy access to all the My Aged Care brochures, forms, checklists and other documents that are located within My Aged Care website. Some are also available in other languages.
https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/resources
Home Care Packages Program Operational Manual for Home Care Package consumers
Version 1 – March 2020
Last updated March 2020
1.1 Helping you stay at home
The Australian Government funds a range of aged care services delivered in the community to support senior Australians to live independently in their own home for as long as possible.
These are:
entry level home support – ongoing or short-term entry level services provided under the Commonwealth Home Support Programme;
more coordinated support at home - coordinated support packages that address your care needs and goals through the Home Care Packages Program.
There are four levels of packages ranging from low care needs to high care needs. You can plan for your future by thinking about your aged care needs and personal goals early. Planning ahead improves your ability to live independently and to have your wishes respected when the time comes to access aged care services. Having these conversations with your family, doctor and other support people will ensure you are better prepared for the future. My Aged Care has further information on how to start planning for your future aged care needs. The My Aged Care website is www.myagedcare.gov.au.
What does the manual contain?
This manual is for the Home Care Packages Program, which enables coordinated support at home. The manual is a part of a suite of information resources including:
‘Your pathway to accessing a home care package’ brochure;
‘Your guide to Home Care Package services’ booklet; and
fact sheets and other information that may be of interest.
You can find all of these resources by going to https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/resources, scrolling to the bottom of the homepage and selecting “Resources” under “Further Information”. This manual has the most detailed information on the Home Care Packages Program. It takes you through the Home Care Packages Program from how to access a Home Care Package, what costs are involved and the care and support you can receive. You can also speak to your provider for more information.
How much does the government contribute?
The Australian Government pays a different subsidy amount for each level of Home Care Package. The government subsidy for each package level is as follows:
The package level assigned to you is based on your needs.
Package level Level of care needs
Level 1 Basic care needs – $9,026.45 a year
Level 2 Low care needs – $15,877.50 a year
Level 3 Intermediate care needs – $34,550.90 a year
Level 4 High care needs – $52,377.50 a year
* The government contribution increases each year. These figures are rounded.
The government contribution is paid directly to the home care provider you choose. You work in partnership with the provider to determine the care and services required, within the package budget. The funds won’t affect your pension because they don’t count as income.
Read more about further funding supplements your providers may be able to access.
How much does the government contribute?
The Australian Government contributes a different amount for each level of Home Care Package. The government subsidy for each package level is as follows:
Home Care Package level Daily government subsidy rate Yearly government contribution
Level 1 $24.73 $9,026.45
Level 2 $43.50 $15,877.50
Level 3 $94.66 $34,550.90
Level 4 $143.50 $52,377.50
The government contribution changes on 1 July every year; these figures are up to date as at 1 July 2021.
The government contribution is paid directly to the home care provider you choose. You work in partnership with the provider to determine the care and services you need, within the package budget. The funds won’t affect your pension, because they don’t count as income.
What will it cost me?
You’re expected to contribute to the cost of your care if you can afford it. Your contribution is made up of three types of fees:
After you have been assessed as being eligible, how long it takes to get a Home Care Package depends on what package level you are eligible for.
How urgently someone needs services can also impact how long it may take to receive a Home Care Package. Those with higher or more urgent needs are prioritised to receive services.
For people with a medium priority, the expected wait time for an approved Home Care Package is:
Package level Approximate wait time
Level 1 3 - 6 months
Level 2 9 - 12 months
Level 3 9 - 12 months
Level 4 9 - 12 months * Last revised 31 May 2021
The government contribution increases each year. These figures are rounded.
https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/home-care-package-costs-and-fees
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Home Care Clients Cancel Vital Services Amid Concerns About COVID-19
By Caroline Egan. Apr 1, 2020
Home care providers are looking “innovatively” at how they can deliver services to customers, Ms Sparrow said.
The government has helped, by allowing CHSP to be used flexibly. For example, if there is more need for food services than domestic assistance, then the funding can be used for the most needed purpose. If group activities are no longer taking place, the funding can be used for other forms of support.
Residents who receive home care services do so because the care is needed. It is their right to cancel services if they are concerned about COVID-19, but it’s important they have all the information before making that decision.
It’s also important that staff are able to fulfil all their infection control requirements in order to reassure clients and, of course, keep them safe.
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Home Care Providers - Actions you need to take, like NOW...
https://communitycarereview.com.au/sponsoredcontent/covid-19s-double-whammy-for-providers/
08 April 2020
https://communitycarereview.com.au/2020/03/27/technologys-role-in-overhauling-the-aged-care-sector/
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Latest info: RC calls for entitlement aged care system
By Natasha Egan on March 5, 2020 in Government, Industry
The residential and home aged care and support programs should be combined into a single program as soon as possible with demand-driven funding based on assessed need, the royal commission has been advised. To achieve this, funding needs to be linked to actual costs and not rationed, Senior Counsel Assisting Peter Gray told the royal commissioners at a hearing in Adelaide on Wednesday.
https://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/2020/03/05/rc-calls-for-entitlement-aged-care-system/
Unspent Funds: an avoidable problem
by Contributor on November 7, 2019 in Community Care Review
Some home care providers are about to reap the unpleasant consequences of poor management, poor insight and poor delivery of essential services to their client consumers, writes DAVID POWIS.
What is being proposed is a fundamental and extremely significant change in the funding model.
The following industry drivers have resulted in the prospect of an infinitely worse arrangement, financially:
The industry needs to respond effectively to the Consultation Paper and in addition, undertake a full review of current practices to determine whether providers are:
The extent of negative impacts on providers will depend on what preparatory action and forward planning are undertaken now to restructure operational models.
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14 June 2019
Australia’s home care providers are holding close to $7,000 in unspent funds for each client, a key aged care financial report reveals.
The latest StewartBrown Aged Care Financial Performance Survey, analysing data from 26,386 home care packages for the nine months ending in March, shows the amount of unspent funds is continuing to balloon over each quarter with almost $600 million now sitting in providers’ bank accounts around the country. According to an ACFA report released a year ago, providers were holding just over half that amount, or $329 million in unspent funds and $4,600 per client, at July 2018.
Funds are temporarily unspent because clients are saving up for a new wheelchair or an electric bed or other large capital items. Many aged persons with disabilities prefer to use Home Care Package funds for capital items. The providers would prefer they spent it on lawn mowing so they can take a percentage each and every time. But that’s just lazy bad management.
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Providers charge more for admin despite changes
by Judy Skatssoon July 1, 2020
A survey has found home care providers are charging more for administration than they were before the introduction of the new pricing transparency regime, and care management costs are going up as well.
The pricing transparency changes, introduced last April, meant administration costs could no longer be charged separately but needed to be factored into prices for care and services. Instead, providers are able to charge for package management, which can include preparing monthly statements, managing funds and meeting compliance and quality assurance standards. They can also charge for care management, which can take in plan reviews and scheduling of services.
This is somewhat surprising given that if anything, package management would be expected to decline as a result of the pricing transparency system.
https://communitycarereview.com.au/2020/07/01/providers-charge-more-for-admin-despite-changes/
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The Monthly Statement provided to YOU, the consumer, MUST specify:-
With the introduction of the new Aged Carer Quality Standards in July 2019, there is a much stronger emphasis placed on the organisation to demonstrate evidence about consumer engagement and outcomes and workforce training.
Strategies for Success with Lorraine Poulos "What the new home care pricing means for Providers."
in Community Care Review - Winter 2019
"Some Providers Charging High Case Management, Administration Costs”
The Aged Care Minister The Hon Ken Wyatt AM MP told HelloCare that home care operators that do not publish their fees online could face funding penalties. “I commissioned this report for an independent view of home care and am taking strong action on home care fees and transparency,” he said. “I expect administrative charges to be kept to a minimum, to maximise service delivery for senior Australians, and I am concerned with the practice of some providers charging high case management and administration costs.
"Another key source of confusion is around the mandated requirement by government that all approved providers must publish the prices they charge for certain common care and services in a standard format on My Aged Care, she says.
“Administration and Case Management are no longer separate categories and the model of charging a percentage of a home care package for these is no longer possible,” Ms Poulos says.
“There are two new categories – Package Management and Care Management – that have very clear definitions and requirements to validate charges made to a consumer’s package of care.
What is the difference between package management and care management?
on page 4
Care management is a support service that is an essential component of every Home Care Package. It ensures clients receive the appropriate level of support in a way that meets their current and future care needs. It should ensure there is no overlap, over-servicing or mismanagement of services. A full definition is outlined in in the Quality of Care Principles 2014 and also in the Home Care Pricing Schedule Definitions.
Package management is the ongoing administration and organisational activities associated with ensuring the smooth delivery and management of a Home Care Package. It may include the costs for:
preparing monthly statements
managing package funds
compliance and quality assurance activities required for Home Care Packages.
It does not include costs that are unrelated to supporting a client’s care, nor costs associated with a provider running their business such as marketing, office rent, insurance, or activities completed before a client enters into a Home Care Agreement. Where necessary, providers will include any other administration costs within the unit price for care and services, so clients can see the all-inclusive cost of delivering the service. The definitions for package management and business costs are outlined within the User Rights Principles 2014.
“Providers will also be required to attach to the Notice a copy of their full price list or a link to the full price list on their own website."
“Government has indicated that compliance with the new legislation will be monitored for ‘reasonable’ charges however there is no real guidance about what would be considered as ‘reasonable’.“
02 July 2019
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Some Services Covered By Home-Care Packages May Surprise You!
Other home care services include:
04 February 2019
New Aged care means assessment forms
The Department of Human Services (DHS) has released the new Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care (SA486) digital form. Your clients can fill it in online, print and sign it and send it to DHS with their supporting documents. The digital form uses dynamic questions tailored to the customers’ individual circumstances.
For clients who would prefer to use our simplified paper forms, they are as follows:
These forms are all available on the Services Australia website. Tips on how to download the digital form can be found here.
Aged care means tests: https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/services/aged-care-means-tests
We assess your financial details to work out how much you need to pay towards aged care.
Customers commencing a Home Care Package don’t need to fill in a form if they get a means tested income support payment from Centrelink or DVA.
Customers entering Residential Care don’t need to fill in a form if they:
It is important to make sure their income and assets are up to date when they enter into care to ensure their assessment can be completed automatically. They can do this by accessing their Centrelink online account or by calling Centrelink on 132 300or DVA on 1800 555 254.
Department of Health
10 February 2020
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What is the Aged Care Assessment (ACAT) Team?
The ACAT assess people’s eligibility for Home Care Packages and other residential care services. They are professional health and community care clinicians who visit you at home to assess your needs. They do a comprehensive assessment for your eligibility for a Home Care Package, residential respite care or permanent residential care.
Comprehensive Assessment (ACAT only)
A Comprehensive Assessment, undertaken by the ACATs, builds on the information collected in the contact centre screening and Home Support Assessment (if applicable) and in a suitable face-to-face context (preferably in the client’s usual accommodation setting) to determine a client’s eligibility for care types under the Act. It encompasses the same client information as the Home Support Assessment at a deeper level.
The assessor will comprehensively assess:
The assessor and client will work together to establish a support plan that reflects the client’s strengths and abilities, areas of difficulty, and the support that will best meet their needs and goals. This will include the consideration of formal and informal services as well as reablement and/or restorative pathways.
Where a care type under the Act is identified as the most appropriate type of support to meet the client’s needs, and the client meets the eligibility criteria, the assessor will make a recommendation for approval. A client may be approved for a Home Care Package, Residential Care, Residential Respite Care or Flexible Care (Transition Care Program [TCP] or Short-Term Restorative Care [STRC]). Clients may also be referred to Commonwealth Home Support Program services where appropriate.
Aged Care Services - those aged 65 or older & their Carers
Need help to stay living in your own home and community? Everyday tasks difficult and need support?
First you need an Assessment, an ACAT - someone comes in person to see you in your own home
Phone 1800 200 422 (Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturday 10am to 2pm).
What happens during an assessment?
During the assessment visit, the ACAT clinician (usually a nurse, social worker or other health care professional) will ask questions about how well you are managing in your day-to-day life. They will also explain the assessment process and give you advice about on the types of care services that may help you to stay at home. Your assessed needs will determine which level of Home Care Package you are eligible for. You will also be asked about whether you want approvals to use residential respite care in the future. In some instances, when staying at home is no longer possible, the assessment can also help to determine your eligibility for care in a residential aged care facility.
My Aged Care Assessment Manual June 2018
Page last updated: 25 June 2018
The My Aged Care Assessment Manual for Regional Assessment Services and Aged Care Assessment Teams (the Manual) is designed to drive good practices in the assessment of older people’s support needs and eligibility for Commonwealth - subsidised aged care services under the Commonwealth Home Support Programme and/or types of care under the Aged Care Act 1997. The Manual replaces the Aged Care Assessment Program Guidelines May 2015 and the My Aged Care Regional Assessment Service Guidelines June 2015.
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Q. Can I have someone with me during the ACAT assessment?
A. Yes – It’s a good idea to have someone you trust and who knows you well at the assessment home visit. You can have a friend, family member, partner, carer or advocate with you during the assessment. To find a local advocate, contact the National Aged Care Advocacy Line on 1800 700 600.
Q. How can I prepare for my ACAT assessment?
A. During the assessment, you will be asked about what you can still do for yourself and what you want assistance with. It helps if you have already thought about what your needs are, and about what you help you think you will want in the foreseeable future.
Q. When should I agree to have an assessment of my needs?
A. Having an assessment worries me! Some older people are worried that having an assessment means a fast-track into a nursing home. The truth is that most people will be linked into community care services that help them stay living in their own home. Many people get extra help at home. If you think you might benefit from some assistance, it’s a good idea to have an assessment. Over the phone, My Aged Care will help work out what type of assessment you need and will start the process for you.
Once you’ve had an assessment, you make up your own mind about whether you want to accept the outcome. It’s your life and your choice.
As everyone’s care needs are different, there are four levels of Home Care Packages with different funding amounts. These cover basic support needs through to high care needs.
How much does the government contribute?
The Australian Government pays a different subsidy amount for each level of Home Care Package. The government subsidy for each package level is as follows:
Home Care Package level Approximate yearly government contribution
Level 1 $9,000
Level 2 $15,750
Level 3 $34,250
Level 4 $52,000
* The government contribution increases each year. These figures are rounded.
The government contribution is paid directly to the home care provider you choose. You work in partnership with the provider to determine the care and services required, within the package budget. The funds won’t affect your pension because they don’t count as income.
Read more about further funding supplements your providers may be able to access.
From 20 March 2020, the basic daily fee by Home Care Package level will be:
Package level Per cent of the single person rate Daily fee Fortnightly fee
of basic age pension
Level 1 15.68 $9.63 $134.82
Level 2 16.58 $10.19 $142.66
Level 3 17.05 $10.48 $146.72
Level 4 17.50 $10.75 $150.50
Providers can ask you to pay a basic daily fee. Use the Find a provider tool to see if your chosen provider will collect this fee.
The government contribution increases each year. These figures are rounded.
https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/home-care-package-costs-and-fees
What is the income-tested care fee?
The income-tested care fee is an extra contribution that some people may be asked to pay because they can afford to do so, as determined through an income assessment. This fee is different for everyone. It’s based on individual income including your pension. However, full pensioners do not pay an income-tested care fee.
You could pay up to $15.24 per day, if you:
You could pay between $15.25 - $30.49 if you:
Schedule of Fees and Charges for Residential and Home Care: From 20 March 2022
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.
The Australian Government pays for the bulk of aged care in Australia. But as with all aged care services, it's expected you'll contribute to the cost of your care if you can afford to do so. You will never be denied the care you need because you can't afford it.
Bulk Billed Telehealth: People in isolation or quarantine for COVID-19 can see any eligible health provider through new telehealth items. Patients in vulnerable groups can additionally see a health provider via telehealth for a non-COVID-19 matter if they have seen that provider, or another provider within the same practice, face-to-face at least once in the previous 12 months. Additional guides to these services for providers are available via MBS Online. All services provided using the new MBS items must be bulk billed.
Contact your GP doctor, mental health practitioner or midwife by phone, especially if you have cold or flu symptoms and explain your situation.
Older people living well within Home Support:
March 2019
"Participants described the hours of personal care they received on the different levels of home care packages.
On average, these were:
• 2 hours per week on Level 1 package;
• 3 hours per week on a Level 2 package;
• 8 hours per week on a Level 3 package; and
• 14 hours per week on a Level 4 package.
Participants described fourteen (14) hours of personal care per week on a Level 4 home care package as insufficient support for frail older people to remain at home. Several said an older person required additional family and/or community support to remain at home. Several participants acknowledged they would not have been able to remain at home without family support. Although some husbands, wives, sons and daughters received either a Carer Payment or Carer Allowance, several participants provided unpaid labor to support their older relative. Not surprisingly, women predominantly undertook this unpaid labor."
You’re expected to contribute to the cost of your care if you can afford it. Your contribution is made up of three types of fees:
There’s help if you need assistance to pay your aged care costs
17 March 2021
It’s now easier to get help if you need assistance to pay your aged care costs.
We’ve improved our Aged Care Claim for financial hardship assistance form and made changes to some evidence requirements. We’ve made these changes so it’s easier for you to get help.
You may get help if you can’t pay your aged care costs and you’re either:
If you get a Home Care Package, your care must have started on or after 1 July 2014.
Before you claim, you should update your income and asset details as well as your partners if you have one.
You may also be eligible for other payments and services.
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Aged Care Subsidies and Supplements New Rates of Daily Payments from 20 September 2019
Home Care Subsidies and Supplements
These rates are applicable from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020
Home Care Subsidy Rates
Home Care Package Level Subsidy Rate Approximate Hours per week
Level 1 $24.07 2 hours per week (on average)
Level 2 $42.35 3-4 hours per week (on average)
Level 3 $92.16 7-9 hours per week (on average)
Level 4 $139.70 10-13 hours per week (on average)
Aged Care Calculator: https://www.cota.org.au/information/aged-care-calculator/
Home Care Supplements
1. Dementia and Cognition and Veterans’ Supplement
Home Care Package Level Amount of Supplement
Level 1 $2.77
Level 2 $4.87
Level 3 $10.60
Level 4 $16.07
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Some Services Covered By Home-Care Packages May Surprise You!
Other home care services include:
04 February 2019
An additional 10,000 home care packages across all levels will be made available as part of the Government’s recently announced $662 million package to support older Australians.
The funding boost, which was announced ahead of the first Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety hearing in Adelaide, will also include $320 million for residential care, equating to approximately $1,800 per permanent resident over the next 18 months while the Government considers a longer-term funding approach.
The Government’s additional 5,000 Level Three and 5,000 Level Four packages were allocated by 30 June 2019, providing funding for up to $50,000 of care services per person per year including:
The new investment aims to help speed up access to home care and ensure older Australians receive safe, high-quality services when and where they need them. It will increase aged care access and further strengthen safety, quality and transparency and allow older Australians to live in their home longer and stay independent.
The funding also includes:
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Tasmanian independent MP Andrew Wilkie has accused community care providers of charging their clients excessive administration fees on a scale that amounts to “systemic rorting” of government subsidies.
Mr Wilkie told Federal Parliament last week he had received many complaints from older people and their families about “ridiculous administrative costs” being levied on consumers. In one example described to Parliament, Mr Wilkie said a home care package client was being charged $165 per hour for basic house cleaning and showering services once non-direct care costs were added to their individual statement.
He said overcharging by many service providers was “on a scale that a reasonable person would characterise as systemic rorting.” “Some service providers are delivering very little and padding out the invoice with ridiculous administrative charges which in some cases is quadrupling the total bill,” he said.
Providers Must prepare an individualised, itemised budget with the consumer and review that budget that there is a change in care and services, if costs change or if a review is requested.
and do Read the comments after the article...
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TO COMPARE $ PRICES in Home Care
Since 1 July 2019 home care providers have needed to publish their prices in a new standardised home care pricing Schedule on the My Aged Care website. This transition to the new pricing structure may be an opportune time to analyse their current pricing policies and determine if they (the Provider) need to change their prices.
The Schedule will provide information on the common services and costs under a home care package.
This will better support senior Australians to understand and compare home care pricing information, and make a more informed decision about which provider is best placed to deliver your care.
01 July 2019
WHAT TO DO...
STEP 1: https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/find-a-provider
STEP 2: Click on "Help at Home"
STEP 3: Select your Suburb
STEP 4: Click on "Home Support Services" Entry Level Care to get a list of Providers
OR “Home Care Package” Level 1, 2, 3 or 4
You can then click on the Providers name for their details
OR Just click on COMPARE – up to 3 at a time
and COMPARE ONE PROVIDER $ AGAINST ANOTHER... Just scroll down.
You are looking at:-
Case Management - approximate number of hours per fortnight
Price for Common Services - shown as $ per hour
Other costs:
Frequently Asked Questions: https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/frequently-asked-questions
It's quite an Eye-opener!!!
Home care providers have been required to publish their pricing information in a new standardised schedule on the My Aged Care website since 1 July. Aged care minister Ken Wyatt said the move will help older adults understand and compare service offerings and prices across providers. “The greater transparency will also address the concerns raised about high administration prices being charged by some home care providers, which reduces the amount of taxpayer subsidised funds being spent on actual support,” Wyatt said.
The Department is actively monitoring home care providers and has already written to those who have not complied.”
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“$50,000 Should Not Translate To Just Nine Hours Of Care,” Royal Commission Hears
by Caroline Egan.
https://hellocaremail.com.au/home-care-delivered-hours-care-royal-commission/
Home care was under the Royal Commission’s spotlight on Monday, as the second set of hearings began.
A government committee is considering putting a cap on home care package administration fees amid claims some providers are charging up to 45 per cent on top of service fees. Greens senator Rachael Siewert asked the senate estimates committee sitting on October 24 if home care administration fees were being monitored, saying she had an invoice showing administration fees of 38 per cent, and had heard of figures as high as 45 per cent being charged.
Comparing home care options and choosing the right one can be challenging, but new government reforms are set to simplify the process. The Department of Health is introducing a range of changes to make it easier for consumers to compare service offerings and costs across different home care providers.
Since April 2019, home care providers should start publishing their pricing information. This was mandatory from 1 July 2019. There will also be changes to the way administration costs can be charged.
19 March 2019
New standardised home care pricing Schedule
since 1 July 2019
To improve transparency for senior Australians, all home care providers will need to publish their pricing information in a new standardised pricing comparability Schedule (the Schedule) on the My Aged Care Service Finder. Providers are encouraged to do so as soon as possible once the format is available in the My Aged Care Provider Portal from April 2019. Compliance will be required from 1 July 2019. The Schedule will provide information on the common services and costs under a home care package. This will better support senior Australians to understand and compare home care pricing information, and make a more informed decision about which provider is best placed to deliver their care.
This is in addition to the existing legislated requirement under the User Rights Principles 2014 that since 30 November 2018 all home care providers must have published their current pricing information on My Aged Care. The department has commenced action to ensure compliance. For those providers who have not complied, please immediately publish the required information.
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Approval for Home Care packages
Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) approvals for Home Care
ACAT Guidance Framework for Home Care Package Level - 18 December 2019
https://agedcare.health.gov.au/user-guide-for-the-guidance-framework
How is YOUR Level assessed?
What Questions are being asked?
This guide has been developed for Aged Care Assessment Teams to inform and support their decision making when recommending a specific Home Care Package level.
https://agedcare.health.gov.au/sites/g/files/net1426/f/documents/07_2017/guidance_on_priority_for_home_care_services.pdf
There are only two priority for home care service categories – medium and high. The primary goal is to quickly identify and facilitate access for those clients with a relatively urgent need for access to care, i.e. 'high' priority. Including all other clients in the 'medium' category recognises that all clients assessed for and seeking a Home Care Package have a need for care and would benefit from timely package assignment. There is no ‘low’ priority for home care service. Clients who do not want to access a package should be identified as ‘not seeking services’ following assessment so they are not placed on the queue. Clients will not be disadvantaged by choosing this option as if they decide to join the queue at a later date; they will be assigned a package based on their original approval date and priority for service.
Schedule of Fees and Charges for Residential and Home Care: From 1 January 2022
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.
The long wait for home care packages is forcing some older people to enter residential care prematurely because of carer burn-out and lack of reablement support, the aged care royal commission has heard. If you want to stay in your own home, but need some help with daily tasks, or require entry level care, the Commonwealth Home Support Programme may be another option.
Have you thought of enquiring into a Commonwealth Home Care Support Programme for your loved one?
Funded by the Australian Government, the CHSP is an entry level home help programme for older people who are mostly – but not completely – able to live and cope on their own, and don’t yet need higher levels of support at home. A home support assessment conducted by the Regional Assessment Service (RAS) is required to access Government subsidised support at home.
https://www.agedcareguide.com.au/talking-aged-care/extra-15-million-to-support-independent-living
Around 1,600 providers currently deliver CHSP services to around 800,000 Australians. In many cases the CHSP provides low-level bridging assistance for the growing list of people waiting for a home care package. Current CHSP funding arrangements are set to expire in June 2020.
It is designed to provide a relatively small amount of care and support to a large number of frail older people to help them to remain living at home and in their communities. CHSP services can be delivered on a short-term, episodic or ongoing basis and have a strong focus on activities that support independence and social connectedness and provide more choice to consumers.
A $15 million funding boost will enable Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) providers to complete thousands more home modifications across the country, helping senior Australians live at home for longer. This investment is in addition to the Government’s $100 million, two-year growth funding that began rolling out nationwide this month, as part of the $5.5 billion CHSP services.
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Home Care - a guide to your consumer rights
YOU have the same rights as when you buy goods or services under the Australian Consumer Law. The reforms are in response to mounting concerns raised by aged care consumers and families about the lack of transparency and comparability of home care pricing information, and the high administration prices being charged by some providers.
A detailed guide for consumers, families, carers and advocates on how consumer laws apply to home care arrangements.
13 July 2018
Providers have responsibilities to support consumers to understand the new Charter of Aged Care Rights comes into effect from 1 July 2019.
From 1 July 2019, providers must give consumers a copy of the new Charter signed by the provider, and ensure that the consumer or their authorised person has been given a reasonable opportunity to sign a copy of the Charter.
“Since 1 July 2019 providers are also required to complete a standardised schedule of pricing information on My Aged Care. This will allow senior Australians and their families to make like-for-like comparisons,” Mr Wyatt said. “The legislative changes required to mandate that all home care providers publish their pricing information within a standardised schedule on My Aged Care by 1 July 2019, are currently being finalised.”
08 March 2019
The Minister for Aged Care has revealed the government may impose “funding penalties” on home care providers that don’t publish their pricing information.
Earlier this week, public health researcher, Dr Sarah Russell of Research Matters, handed down her report on the home care sector to Minister Wyatt.
The report revealed a litany of serious problems in the home care sector, including
“Some Providers Charging High Case Management, Administration Costs”. The Aged Care Minister The Hon Ken Wyatt AM MP told HelloCare that home care operators that do not publish their fees online could face funding penalties.
If you have any concerns about home care services, staff and fees, or the My Aged Care system, you should call the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission on 1800 951 822.
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AND there will be More Information available to YOU.
New requirements for home care service finder information
https://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/2018/11/09/confused-about-the-gst-help-at-hand-for-home-care-providers/
The health department has updated its guidance materials for approved home care providers on new requirements for putting information the My Aged Care portal service finder.
The service finder is designed to make easier to find accurate and consistent information, the department says, and all providers will be required to publish prices on the My Aged Care Service Finder according to a standardised pricing schedule by April 30, 2019, allowing consumers to compare single unit costs.
The new requirements come in response to consumer complaints about a lack of clarity and confusion about sourcing services.
More information is available on the Managing your home care service information factsheet .
25 October 2018
Update on quality standards
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission 1800 550 552 regarding a Commonwealth-subsidised residential or home-based aged care service
03 January 2020 https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/about-us
Minister Wyatt announced that the Complaints Commissioner and the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency has formed part of the New Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission since January 2019. "I am confident the new Commission will better target sub-standard care. It will be a central point to identify failures, highlights quality concerns and have them rectified,” he says.
The Commission replaces the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency and the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner. Combining these functions into one independent agency strengthens the focus on consumers, streamlines regulation, supports better engagement with consumers and providers, and promotes transparency.
Since 1 January 2020, aged care approval and compliance functions will transfer to us from the Department of Health.
The new Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission began on January 1st, 2019.
Who do the Act and Rules apply to?
Following the first round of hearings, the Royal Commission released its first background paper on Australia’s current aged care system.
Background Paper 1-8 is called Navigating the maze: an overview of Australia’s current aged care system. It outlines different aspects of the aged care system, the services currently being delivered in Australia and the areas in need of substantial reform.
The Royal Commission will be accepting submissions until mid 2019 from members of the public interested in providing evidence. Submissions can be lodged online, via mail or telephone.
Key Changes under the new Commission Act and Rules.
The new commissioners of the Royal Commission in to Aged Care Quality and Safety has written to the nation’s top 100 aged care operators, asking them to self-report on details of their operations. The request for information is the first step in the Royal Commission’s information gathering process. The deadline for providing information is January. Smaller operators will also be contacted, and will be given a later deadline.
The letters mark what will be a huge information-gathering process involving every aged care facility in Australia, and also begins a process of review for all operators of their own individual systems and processes.
26 June 2019
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Finding a Provider...
To find latest vacancies, have a look here. then click on different Providers to learn more. Please note the once given a Package, you have 56 days (with the option of an extension of 28 days) to take up a package with your chosen Provider before it is withdrawn, and goes back into the national 'prioritization queue’ . All is not lost though, an older person can 'opt out' if they are not ready to take up a package but still retain their place in the queue, should they choose to rejoin later.
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:
Areas of no change to program arrangements:
How do I find a home care service provider?
The Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) team can refer you to home care service providers in your local area. They might also give you a list of all the home care service providers in the area (not the 'private firms' though). If you want you can do your own research at
https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/find-a-provider/help-at-home?tab=home-care-package-providers
or you can phone My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.
Costs: The Australian Government subsidises many aged care services to keep costs reasonable and affordable. Costs vary for different types of care and different service providers. There are no standard costs for aged care services. If you are eligible, you are expected to contribute to the cost of your care if you can afford to.
https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/understanding-costs
As everyone’s care needs are different, there are four levels of Home Care Packages with different funding amounts. These cover basic support needs through to high care needs.
How much does the government contribute?The Australian Government pays a different subsidy amount for each level of Home Care Package. The government subsidy for each package level is as follows:
Home Care Package levelApproximate yearly government contribution Level 1$9,000
Level 2$15,750
Level 3$34,250
Level 4$52,000* The government contribution increases each year. These figures are rounded.
The government contribution is paid directly to the home care provider you choose. You work in partnership with the provider to determine the care and services required, within the package budget. The funds won’t affect your pension because they don’t count as income.
Read more about further funding supplements your providers may be able to access.
A government committee is considering putting a cap on home care package administration fees amid claims some providers are charging up to 45 per cent on top of service fees. Greens senator Rachael Siewert asked the senate estimates committee sitting on October 24 if home care administration fees were being monitored, saying she had an invoice showing administration fees of 38 per cent, and had heard of figures as high as 45 per cent being charged.
The health department’s Fiona Buffinton acknowledged high administration fees were “a problem” for home care providers and said a government committee was looking a at possible cap as part of a wider discussion of how to resolve the issue. “One of the discussions for the group, including with consumers, has been on the nature of administration fees – do you make them transparent and let the market engage with that … or do you cap – that’s part of the discussion that has been taking place within that group,” Ms Buffinton said.
The government was also in discussions with the sector to ensure greater transparency in relation to fees, as well as improving information on the My Aged Care portal. All providers will be required to publish current pricing information on My Aged Care by the end of November 2019 and information comparing prices will become available on the website from next April, she said.
https://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/2018/11/05/government-weighs-cap-on-home-care-admin-fees/
Comparing home care options and choosing the right one can be challenging, but new government reforms are set to simplify the process. The Department of Health introduced a range of changes to make it easier for consumers to compare service offerings and costs across different home care providers.
The reforms are in response to mounting concerns raised by aged care consumers and families about the lack of transparency and comparability of home care pricing information, and the high administration prices being charged by some providers. The government was also in discussions with the sector to ensure greater transparency in relation to fees, as well as improving information on the My Aged Care portal.
All providers will be required to publish current pricing information on My Aged Care by the end of November and information comparing prices will become available on the website from next April.
Consumers don’t have to wait long before they can start reaping the benefits, with all service providers required to publish their current home care pricing information on the My Aged Care (MAC) Service Finder since 30 November 2018.
The federal government has announced $553 million in aged care spending including the release of 10,000 home care packages and increased residential supplements for the homeless and people in regional areas.
The splash-out is a centerpiece of the federal government’s Mid Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook, which forecasts a return to budget surplus and a raft of new aged care spending initiatives.
____________________________Pathway to access a home care package_____________________
After you have been assessed as eligible for a home care package, follow this pathway to access and manage your services:
Search for a home care provider
An additional fortnightly payment if you give daily care to someone who has a disability, serious illness, or is frail aged.
https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/carer-allowance
01 February 2020
Eligibility basics
Guides to help you use myGov, Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support accounts and Express Plus mobile apps.
https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/online-help
08 October 2019
Find a Provider:
https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/find-a-provider
Now that the package (Level 1, 2, 3 or 4) goes to YOU. You choose your own Provider and the Government then gives them the $ to spend on what You Want; bearing in mind too, that the Daily Care Fee IS negotiable!
Do be aware too that some Providers are charging joining, upgrade or exit fees for their in home health and well-being services.
This is Not Mandatory, and should any Provider place these restrictions in your New Home Care Agreement, Do NOT sign it. You do NOT have to pay for these. Only those things which YOU have agreed to can be placed in your new Home Care Agreement. If this is happening to You, do not sign and immediately look around and choose another Provider.
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As a potential Customer, do be aware of what your Home Care Agreement ACTUALLY says: Do Not Sign it until you have had it all explained to you AND YOU UNDERSTAND IT.
A potential Home Care Provider needs to bear in mind when offering your Home Care Agreement:
As a provider of home care you will want to promote your business so that you can compete for customers. But you also have to make sure that you don’t break the law by saying things to consumers that might mislead or confuse them. When you offer home care services to consumers it is important that you present information (whether it be written or verbal) to a consumer accurately, clearly and honestly. This allows consumers the opportunity to make decisions with all the facts. Under the ACL, businesses that do not do this are likely to be engaging in misleading and deceptive conduct.
Misleading and deceptive conduct can include practices such as:
Home Care Agreements need to be clear and easy to understand so that consumers are able to make informed decisions. Make sure that your Home Care Agreements are transparent, in plain language and highlight important terms, especially key information such as:
Example: A term in a Home Care Agreement says “you agree to allow the provider to place a caveat over your home to enable the collection of any unpaid fees”. This would likely be an unfair term as it is not reasonably necessary to protect the legitimate interests of the business in relation to government funded home care services and would cause significant detriment to the consumer if it were relied upon.
Download your copy from the ACCC website: https://www.accc.gov.au/publications/home-care-services-your-business-rights-obligations
Home care services - your business rights & obligations.
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Even the bare bones home care management services still have management fees. These include administration and case management amounts that in some cases exceed 20 per cent of the funding. However, this is still significantly below an approximate industry average of 30 per cent with some operators charging above the 50 per cent mark.
For the Provider:
Change to pure self-management in the industry is no longer an if, rather a when. Developments in the industry are already visible with:
24 May 2018
"Another key source of confusion is around the mandated requirement by government that all approved providers must publish the prices they charge for certain common care and services in a standard format on My Aged Care, she says.
“Administration and Case Management are no longer separate categories and the model of charging a percentage of a home care package for these is no longer possible,” Ms Poulos says.
“There are two new categories – Package Management and Care Management – that have very clear definitions and requirements to validate charges made to a consumer’s package of care.
What is the difference between package management and care management?
Care management is a support service that is an essential component of every Home Care Package. It ensures clients receive the appropriate level of support in a way that meets their current and future care needs. It should ensure there is no overlap, over-servicing or mismanagement of services. A full definition is outlined in in the Quality of Care Principles 2014 and also in the Home Care Pricing Schedule Definitions.
"Case managers will work with you and your family or carer to develop and implement individualised care plans best suited to your needs.If you are eligible for a Government funded care package, case managers are assigned through your service provider as part of your homecare package or home care services.
However, if you have complex and multiple needs and you’re looking at different care options, or you would prefer not to use a government funded package, you may choose to use the services of a private case manager.
Private case managers provide support and coordinate your care to ensure your needs are met. They liaise with service providers, medical and other allied health professionals, and they can also negotiate with legal and advocate groups to ensure your rights are protected. You employ them according to your needs; you might want one for a short-term period or as an ongoing support."
https://www.agedcareguide.com.au/information/case-managers
Package management is the ongoing administration and organisational activities associated with ensuring the smooth delivery and management of a Home Care Package. It may include the costs for:
preparing monthly statements
managing package funds
compliance and quality assurance activities required for Home Care Packages.
It does not include costs that are unrelated to supporting a client’s care, nor costs associated with a provider running their business such as marketing, office rent, insurance, or activities completed before a client enters into a Home Care Agreement. Where necessary, providers will include any other administration costs within the unit price for care and services, so clients can see the all-inclusive cost of delivering the service. The definitions for package management and business costs are outlined within the User Rights Principles 2014.
“Providers will also be required to attach to the Notice a copy of their full price list or a link to the full price list on their own website.
“Government has indicated that compliance with the new legislation will be monitored for ‘reasonable’ charges however there is no real guidance about what would be considered as ‘reasonable’.“
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Your Budget:
1 July 2019
HOW to find a Provider?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvwg8lb4-Io
My Aged Care – Home Care Package Service Finder
Published on Feb 28, 2017
This video provides an overview of how to use the Home Care Package service finder to find a provider that best meets your needs. The video guides you through:
• how to do a basic search based on your location, or the provider’s name (if known);
• how to do an advanced search to narrow your results to providers who offer specialised services, or cater to specific cultural, religious and language specialisations;
• how to interpret the information from your search result; and
• how to create a short-list of your preferred providers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQtsUgeLVWI&feature=youtu.be
My Aged Care - Overview of Home Care Packages
This video provides an overview of how to access aged care services under a Home Care Package. The video guides you through:
• the initial screening and assessment process undertaken by the My Aged Care contact centre
• receiving the outcome of your assessment
• researching providers and working out costs
• being assigned a home care package
• entering into a home care agreement
• managing your services.
Home Care has been expanded to assist people to remain living at home for as long as possible, and to introduce more choice and flexibility for people receiving care at home. A Home Care Agreement is an agreement between you and your home care provider that sets out what care and services You want.
You may decide you would rather pay a private cleaner and get exactly what you want for however long you want. Many have rejected the packages because of the admin fees, the daily fee and so on. Some consumers are choosing to spend their funds on one-off capital items like a piece of equipment to support their independence, or a new air conditioner, or washing machine, or choose to use taxis rather than the Provider's transport. These services may offer little, or in some cases no margin to providers. This is Your Choice...
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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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DISTRIBUTION OF HOME CARE PACKAGE LEVELS
There are four levels of home care packages to help meet the different levels of care needs, which are determined by the outcome of an aged care assessment.
How much does the government contribute?
The Australian Government pays a different subsidy amount for each level of Home Care Package. The government subsidy for each package level is as follows:
Home Care Package level Approximate yearly government contribution
Level 1 $9,000
Level 2 $15,750
Level 3 $34,250
Level 4 $52,000
* The government contribution increases each year. These figures are rounded.
The government contribution is paid directly to the home care provider you choose. You work in partnership with the provider to determine the care and services required, within the package budget. The funds won’t affect your pension because they don’t count as income.
Read more about further funding supplements your providers may be able to access.
The basic daily fee changes in March and September each year in line with the age pension.
From 20 March 2020, the basic daily fee by Home Care Package level will be:
Package level Per cent of the single Daily fee Fortnightly fee
person rate of basic age pension
Level 1 15.68 $9.63 $134.82
Level 2 16.58 $10.19 $142.66
Level 3 17.05 $10.48 $146.72
Level 4 17.50 $10.75 $150.50
Providers can ask you to pay a basic daily fee. Use the Find a provider tool to see if your chosen provider will collect this fee.
"However, the changes since 27 February 2017 created a more significant and larger scale disruption than the impact ridesharing application Uber is having on the taxi industry, the CEO of the sector’s largest private provider has said. Jason Howie, KinCare CEO Jason Howie, CEO of KinCare, described the end of the Aged Care Approvals Round and allocation of home care places direct to consumers as the “mother of all disruptions.” He said the importance and impact of the changes on the industry could not be overstated, as services will now be made to compete for customers in an open marketplace."
Organisations will move from competing for a small pot of annual growth funding allocated by the government to a market system where any eligible customer with an approved package was up for grabs. A focus on compliance and contract outputs would shift towards customer experience and meeting consumer expectations, he said. “While we weren’t penalised for delivering a bad experience in the past, we certainly will be in the future, in a big way, and I would not be surprised to see a significant migration of clients from one organisation to another in response to that.”
Since 27 February 2017, Mr Howie said organisations would no longer be protected in terms of the numbers of packages they held and over time only those services delivering a quality customer experience would thrive.
Priority queue
Since 27 February 2017 there is now a new way to manage access to Home Care Packages. There is now a national pool of all available packages. After assessment you will be placed in a ‘prioritization queue’ until a HCP becomes available to you.
Your place in the national 'priority queue' will be determined by your personal needs and circumstances and the time you have been waiting for care. Please note the once given a Package, you have 56 days (with the option of an extension of 28 days) to take up a package with your chosen Provider before it is withdrawn. If you are feeling uncertain about approaching a Provider, you can ask My Aged Care to send an electronic referral through the provider portal.
A new readiness letter is being introduced to prompt clients on the national queue to prepare to receive their first home care package.
This letter will be sent to clients around 90 days before the expected assignment date of their first home care package. It is intended to improve awareness of the Home Care Packages Program and commence initial steps to make an informed choice about their care needs, such as finding an approved provider and undertaking a formal income assessment with the Department of Human Services.
It will also encourage people who do not want care now to opt themselves out of the queue before the package is assigned to them. ACATs who have elected to receive home care notifications on behalf of vulnerable clients will receive a notification of this correspondence.
It is important to note that this letter is not indicative of a client’s package assignment, but provides an indication of when they can expect to be assigned their first home care package (either approved or interim).
What this all means...click here to a more in-depth explanation.
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After you have discussed and signed your Home Care Agreement with your provider, they can then spend the funds on the items you both agreed to in the Home Care Agreement.
The Aged Care Gateway provides a standardised National Assessment Service to identify your care needs. Where an initial screening has determined that a client is likely to require access to Commonwealth-subsidised aged care services, you will be assessed to determine your needs and the priority you should be accorded.
1st February 2016 - Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACATs) began using My Aged Care to conduct comprehensive assessments and send electronic referrals to providers for residential care, transition care and home care packages, with Queensland the first region to fully transition to the platform. New South Wales teams will transition on Thursday with the other states and territories following over the next six weeks finishing with South Australia on 15 March 2016, according to the Department of Health.
Under Consumer Directed Care (CDC), you will determine the level of involvement you would like to have in managing your own package. You will be provided with a personalised budget so that you can see how much funding is available for services and how the money is spent. Each month your Service Provider must provide you with a Statement detailing the expenditure on your behalf. Do check this carefully, and Do ask if you don't understand anything. Your Service Provider will be happy to help you understand the various $ charges.
Note: The Maximum Basic Daily Fee for a Home Care Package for Home Care is $10.63 per day, from 1 January 2020.
Do be aware that Providers are able to charge administration costs to cover items such as government quality and reporting requirements, organisational overheads, capital costs, developing statements and establishing contracts with subcontractors.
Case management and advisory fees can be charged on top of admin charges and will vary depending on the level of involvement of the consumer and their carer.
Figures from Better Caring Pty Ltd (submitted to the recent Senate inquiry) are presented which show that under the existing model for level 4 Consumer Directed Care (CDC) packages (10–12 hours’ care a week), direct care staff receive just 34 per cent of the annual total cost of $48,906 paid for the package. The remaining 66 per cent is consumed by administrative and case management fees and by the provider’s margin on the services delivered.
There are four levels of Basic home care subsidy (per annum).
These rates are applicable from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020.
The Department of Health has released the new Aged Care Subsidies and Supplements New Rates of Payment from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020.
· Home Care Level 1 – $24.07 per day - helps people with basic care needs. From here the client can be referred to aged care services, proceed to a Level 2 assessment or, where necessary, be fast tracked to Level 3. Your Fee Maximum if income below $27,284.40 p.a. Level 1 provides approximately 2 hours per week (on average).
· Home Care Level 2 – $42.35 per day builds on the Level 1 assessment, - helps people with low level care needs, similar to the previous Community Aged Care Package. From here the client can be referred to aged care services or continue to a Level 3 comprehensive assessment. Your Fee Maximum if income below $27,284.40 p.a. Level 2 provides approximately 3-4 hours per week (on average).
A person is eligible to receive home care at level 1 or level 2 only if:
· Home Care Level 3 – $92.16 per day - helps people with intermediate care needs. Your Fee Maximum if income below $27,284.40 p.a. Level 3 provides approximately 7-9 hours per week (on average).
The contact centre will have the capability to directly undertake Level 1 and Level 2 assessments over the phone and to arrange a face to face assessment in circumstances where a phone based assessment is not appropriate. All comprehensive assessments (Level 3) will continue to be undertaken face to face.
· Home Care Level 4 - $139.70 per day - helps people with high care needs, similar to the previous Extended Aged Care at Home package
- a package, similar to the previous Extended Aged Care at Home (EACH) package. Your Fee Maximum if income below $27,284.40 p.a. Level 4 provides approximately 10-13 hours per week (on average).
A person is eligible to receive home care at level 3 or level 4 only if:
Levels are Not interchangeable. However, you can accept a lower Level whilst waiting for your assessed level. eg. If you have been assessed by ACAT as being a Level 4, you can accept a Level 2 in the interim until a Level 4 becomes available for you. ie. You can still stay on the national 'priorisation queue'.
There is no need for a separate EACHD package as the Dementia and Cognition Supplement is available across all four package levels. If you were previously receiving an EACHD package, you will be automatically eligible for the Dementia and Cognition Top Up Supplement:
Eligibility - for consumers who were in receipt of an EACHD package on 31 July 2013 $2.77
If you have additional needs, supplements are available to make sure you receive the care you need:
Level 1 $2.77
Level 2 $4.87
Level 3 $10.60
Level 4 $16.07
These supplements are available with any of the four levels of Home Care Packages. If you are eligible, your home care provider will receive some extra funding to make sure you receive the care you need. You do not need to apply for these supplements. Your Home Care Provider will apply on your behalf, or in some cases, the supplement will be paid automatically to your provider.
Looking at having your loved one take Respite in a Nursing Home?
Hint: Explain to your loved one that YOU "Really Need to Know" what is going on in the nursing home... This way, it is a 'Very Important Task' that you are asking them to do For You :-)
. Daily Residential Respite Subsidy Rates:
The maximum daily fee for a respite resident is set by the Government at 85 percent of the single basic Age Pension. This is currently $843.60 per fortnight and 85 percent of this is $717.06 per fortnight or $51.21 per day. Because the stay is temporary, you don't have to pay an accommodation charge or bond.
More information: 22 January 2020
Residential respite care recipients. The provider receives an amount of residential respite subsidy and supplement based on whether the care recipient is eligible for low or high level residential respite care.
Respite access in Home Care Packages:
People with dementia who have higher care needs can access support through Government subsidised Home Care Packages.
All Home Care Packages are delivered on a consumer-directed care (CDC) basis.
To receive Respite access in Homes Care Packages, you will need to be assessed and approved from an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT). This is organised through My Aged Care (1800 200 422, https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/. This means that you have choice and control about what services you access as part of your package, according to your goals and needs. Respite services may be provided as part of a package if you choose it.
Approval for Home Care packages
SOCIAL DOMAIN - A gauge of social isolation/loneliness and a typical measure of perceived support from family, friends and neighbours.
MEDICAL DOMAIN - Addresses overall health and wellbeing including health and mental health conditions, disability, nutrition, and oral health.
PHYSICAL DOMAIN - A key determinant of independence in activities of daily living and a contributing factor to overall health status and quality of life. It includes mobility, i.e. the ability to stand, sit, walk, turn, transfer and climb.
PSYCHOLOGICAL DOMAIN - This domain includes:
o Cognitive impairment
o Capacity for decision-making
o Depression
o Dementia
o Behaviour
o Delirium, and
o Judgement and insight
COMPLEXITY/ VULNERABILTY DOMAIN - This domain refers to measurable characteristics of a client’s circumstances that may relate to service provision and the urgency of any interventions. Complexity and vulnerability includes factors such as homelessness, risk of abuse, emotional/mental health issues, difficulty communicating, and/or certain demographic indicators e.g. veterans, Aboriginals, Torres Strait Islanders, living in rural/remote areas etc.
ACATs might include a doctor, nurse, social worker, occupational therapist or physiotherapist. ACATs help older people and their carers work out what kind of care will best meet their needs, provide information on suitable care options and can help arrange access or referral to appropriate residential or community care services such as Home and Community Care.
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Since 27 February 2017, Levels are not be broad-banded ie. if ACAT assess you as a Level 4, you would not be able to access Levels 1, 2 or 3. However if you NEED care but cannot find a Provider at your ACAT level, you may be offered a lower Level in the meantime.
Be aware that this Will Not affect your place in the My Aged Care national 'prioritisation queue' ie. when a Level 4 does becomes available, you will be contacted with the name of the Provider/s and you can contact them yourself if you want.
Guide to Aged Care Law - Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Increasing Consumer Choice) Bill 2016
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2016B00019
Residential Care and Home Care Frequently Asked Questions:
https://www.health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/residential-aged-care
08 May 2020
Who can access advocacy services?Anyone receiving or looking to receive Australian Government funded aged care services can use an advocacy service, including people who:
What Help is Available
Therapy services
Low intensity therapy to help you recover sooner and safer:
Clinical care carried out by a registered nurse:
Personal assistance with everyday tasks:
How do I find a home care service provider?
The Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) team can refer you to home care service providers in your local area. They might also give you a list of all the home care service providers in the area. If you want you can do your own research at www.myagedcare.gov.au or you can phone 1800 200 422.
New standardised home care pricing Schedule
To improve transparency for senior Australians, all home care providers will need to publish their pricing information in a new standardised pricing comparability Schedule (the Schedule) on the My Aged Care Service Finder.
Indexation rates for Residential Aged Care and Home Care Packages and Maximum Permissible Interest Rate (MPIR) changes
20 March 2020 "Another key source of confusion is around the mandated requirement by government that all approved providers must publish the prices they charge for certain common care and services in a standard format on My Aged Care, she says."
“Administration and Case Management are no longer separate categories and the model of charging a percentage of a home care package for these is no longer possible,” Ms Poulos says."
“There are two new categories – Package Management and Care Management – that have very clear definitions and requirements to validate charges made to a consumer’s package of care."
“Providers will also be required to attach to the Notice a copy of their full price list or a link to the full price list on their own website."
“Government has indicated that compliance with the new legislation will be monitored for ‘reasonable’ charges however there is no real guidance about what would be considered as ‘reasonable’.“
02 July 2019
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TO COMPARE $ PRICES in Home Care
From 1 July 2019 home care providers need to publish their prices in a new standardised home care pricing Schedule on the My Aged Care website. This transition to the new pricing structure may be an opportune time to analyse their current pricing policies and determine if they (the Provider) need to change their prices.
The Schedule will provide information on the common services and costs under a home care package.
This will better support senior Australians to understand and compare home care pricing information, and make a more informed decision about which provider is best placed to deliver your care.
01 July 2019
WHAT TO DO...
STEP 1: https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/find-a-provider
STEP 2: Click on "Help at Home"
STEP 3: Select your Suburb
STEP 4: Click on "Home Support Services" to get a list of Providers
OR “Home Care Package” Level 1, 2, 3 or 4
You can then click on the Providers name for their details
OR Just click on COMPARE – up to 3 at a time
and COMPARE ONE PROVIDER $ AGAINST ANOTHER... Just scroll down.
Changing providers -
You can change home care package providers if:
Before you make the decision to change providers you should check your Home Care Agreement so you know if there will be any conditions such as notice periods and exit amounts.
When you research new providers you should compare the provider’s fees with those of your current home care provider for items such as administration of the package and case management.
You are looking at:-
Case Management - approximate number of hours per fortnight
Price for Common Services - shown as $ per hour
Other costs:
It's quite an Eye-opener!!!
You can find a new home care package provider by using the service finder or you can call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and they will help you find a provider.
Once you have found a new provider you will need to contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 to re-activate your referral code. You need this referral code to give to your new provider before you can start receiving their services.
Your current service provider must help you to change providers. You should discuss your plan to change providers with them and agree with your current provider the date you want your care and services to end.
When you have agreed an end date with your current provider, you have 56 days from the end date to enter into a Home Care Agreement with a new provider.
If you do not enter into a Home Care Agreement by this time, your home care package will be withdrawn and you will not be able to use your referral code.
The start date with your new provider must be after the end date you have agreed with your old provider and the dates cannot overlap.
Q: Can the level of services under a Home Care Package be reduced when the full income-tested care fee is not received?
A: No, the level of services cannot be reduced.
For a consumer who started receiving a Home Care Package on or after 1 July 2014, the subsidy and primary supplements payable by the Government are reduced by the maximum income-tested care fee payable by the consumer. The overall value of the package remains the same; what varies is the source of the funds.
Example 1 – Adam
The Government subsidy and primary supplements of Adam’s home care package is valued at $30,000 (in addition to the basic daily fee) and Adam has been assessed by the Department of Human Services as being able to contribute $10,000 towards his income-tested care fee. The Government subsidy payable for Adam’s care to his provider is the value of the Home Care Package less Adam’s income-tested care fee (that is, $30,000 - $10,000 = $20,000).
Adam’s provider asks Adam to pay the income-tested care fee as advised by the Department of Human Services. Adam’s provider must provide him with services reflecting the full package valued at $30,000.
If Adam’s home care provider does not collect the full income-tested care fee (regardless of the reason) the home care provider is still required to provide Adam with services as if the fee had been paid in full. That is, the home care provider and Adam cannot select a lower level of care and services to match the reduced value of the Australian Government subsidy paid.
The amount of basic daily fee charged has no impact on the amount of Government subsidy and primary supplements that are paid.
If Adam fails to meet his responsibilities, including the payment of fees, as described in Schedule 2 - Charter of care recipients’ rights and responsibilities – home care of the User Rights Principles 2014, his home care provider may cease to provide home care to that him under the security of tenure provisions in subsection 17–2(e) of the User Rights Principles 2014. Adam’s Home Care Agreement must contain information such as the maximum fees payable by him and the conditions under which either party may terminate the provision of home care.
Example 2 – Emily
The Government Subsidy and Primary Supplements of Emily’s Home Care Package is valued at $20,000 (in addition to the basic daily fee) and Emily has been assessed by Department of Human Services as being able to contribute $5,000 towards her income-tested care fee. The amount of Government subsidy payable for Emily’s care to her provider is the value of the Home Care Package less Emily’s income-tested care fee (that is, $20,000 - $5,000 = $15,000).
If Emily does not pay the income-tested care fee or Emily’s provider does not collect an income-tested care fee, Emily’s provider must still provide her with services reflecting the full package valued at $20,000 and not services reflecting the amount of Government subsidy paid ($15,000).
Administrative process
https://agedcare.health.gov.au/aged-care-reform/residential-care-and-home-care-frequently-asked-questions
16 July 2019
Q. What is the administrative process for assessing income?
A. In Home Care, the amount of income tested care fee payable is determined by the consumer's income. Similar to the current process in residential care, Centrelink or DVA will assess a person's income. Centrelink will calculate the amount of income tested fee payable and notify the care recipient and provider. The Government will reduce its subsidy based on the amount of income tested fee payable.
Consumers on an income support payment need not submit an income assessment form, as Centrelink and DVA will already have access to this information.
Self-funded retirees who do not receive income support from Department of Human Services or DVA will need to submit an income assessment form, or will be assessed to pay the maximum fee payable.
Q. How will the collection of fees work in home care?
A. Providers can determine their own collection process as they currently do for basic daily fees. Providers cannot charge fees more than one month in advance.
Centrelink will notify the provider and care recipient of the maximum income tested care fee and basic daily fee payable, it is up to the provider whether they charge a care recipient the maximum amount or a lower amount.
Q. What happens if a consumer is having trouble paying their fees?
A. The consumer can apply for financial hardship assistance through Department of Human Services.
Q. Is financial hardship assistance available for consumers in home care?
A. Yes. The new arrangements introducing hardship provisions for home care are part of the 1 July 2014 reforms relating to the strengthening of the income tested fee arrangements for persons commencing a home care package from 1 July 2014. Under these arrangements a consumer will be able to apply for financial hardship assistance with both the basic daily fee and/or income tested care fee. The new hardship arrangements do not apply to persons already receiving a home care package on 30 June 2014.
Consumers receiving a home care package before 1 July 2014 will not be affected by the strengthened income tested fee arrangements unless:
Section 95 of the Subsidy Principles 2014 sets out a number of considerations which either must or may be considered when Department of Human Services is assessing someone's application for financial hardship.
If you believe you would face financial hardship in paying the required fees and payments, you can ask to be considered for financial hardship assistance. Each case is considered on an individual basis.
You should apply for financial hardship assistance as soon as you experience financial difficulties. Department of Human Services consider financial hardship applications from the date your application is received by them. They may backdate the application if there are special circumstances.
If you are applying for financial hardship assistance with your fees and charges in Home Care, or Residential Respite Care you need Form SA462
https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/forms/sa462
10 July 2019
Use this form and guide to test your eligibility to receive financial hardship assistance with your fees and charges in Home Care, or Residential Respite Care - this is assistance for the Basic Daily Care Fee.
Note: This assessment is NOT relevant for permanent Residential Aged Care. To apply for financial hardship assistance for your permanent residential aged care fees and charges, please use a Claim for Financial hardship assistance for Residential Aged Care form (SA461).
10 February 4040
When you submit the financial hardship assistance form, you will need to provide written evidence of your:
You will be asked to provide your asset details when you complete the relevant financial hardship assistance form, if you are:
If financial hardship is granted, the Government will pay a hardship supplement of an amount determined in each individual case.
For more information on fees and charges call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or visit myagedcare.gov.au
1 July 2019
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Aged Care Quality Standards
The Department of Health will introduce the Aged Care Quality Standards from 1 July 2018 to replace all previous standards. They will apply to all Commonwealth aged care services including residential care, home care, flexible care and services under the Commonwealth Home Support Program.
Assessment will continue against current applicable standards, with assessment against the new Standards in effect from 1 July 2019. Further information is available on the Quality Agency website.
with many thanks to the Brisbane South PHN supported by funding from the Australian Government under the PHN Program bsphn.org.au All Carers and the people they care for should know of these welcome changes. Thank you.
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The new Aged Care Quality Standards are here!
On 1 July 2019, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission began assessing and monitoring quality of care and services against the Aged Care Quality Standards. The Commission has a range of resources available for download to support service providers and their consumers to understand the Quality Standards.
Please note: the Quality Standards resources are not available for hard copy order.
Access Quality Standards resources >
Finding an Accreditation Report on a Home.
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My Aged Care is constructed with full recognition of the value of linking the client record with the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record.
The introduction of a central client record will make it easier to share information, and reduce the need for consumers to tell their story time and time again.
17 December 2021
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Government releases overview of new home care program
The Support at Home program will bring all in home aged care providers under one funding model, a new paper has revealed.
The Federal Government has released its Support at Home Program Overview paper, which outlines what the program design could look like, including assessment, services, funding arrangements and care management.
The new program will start in July 2023 and will replace the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) Home Care Packages (HCP) Program and Short Term Restorative Care (STRC) Programme.
It was created as a response to the findings in the aged care royal commission.
According to the paper, Support at Home providers will be paid on a fee-for-service basis.
“Payments would be made based on the agreed prices for the service list, once services specified in a person’s support plan have been delivered,” the paper said.
A Point of Delivery Payment Platform is currently being developed and will enable providers to receive payments in real time, from both government and senior Australians.
“The platform would also assist in capturing information from providers about service delivery and their clients, automating reporting on service provision,” the paper said.
Under the new program, providers and senior Australians will not be able to accrue unspent funds because providers will be paid as services are delivered. “For example, if a person goes on holiday and does not require their cleaning services, the provider would not receive payment for them, and the senior Australian would not accrue their entitlement,” the paper said.
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cont'd
Supporting informal carers
Informal carers will also be supported through the program, with improved integration between My Aged Care and the Carer Gateway.
“The Carer Gateway will enable carers to book respite services in advance and provide assistance through counselling, coaching, peer support and skills training,” the paper said.
“There is also access to specialised dementia carer education through the Carer Gateway.”
The outcomes of a senior Australian’s assessment and their service recommendations will be reflective of the support provided by their informal carer, with the new assessment tool to compile information about the carer and their identity.
Self-managed care
Under the new program, clients will be able to self-manage their care and even use multiple service providers if they wish.
“The Approved Provider model is under review, with alternative approaches with risk-proportionate regulation and market-entry requirements under development,” the paper said.
“The intent is to assure safe and quality care can be delivered with appropriate oversight, including by small businesses, without undue administrative burden.”
Self-management will be enabled by a new payments platform that will allow senior Australians and providers to view the person’s entitlements and book and pay for services at the point of delivery.
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cont'd
New assessment tool and service list Other changes to the program include a new assessment tool and a service list.
An Integrated Assessment Tool will be introduced in July 2023 to better match services to a person’s aged care support needs.
“The tool will assess eligibility for all aged care programs, including home care, residential care, transition care, multi-purpose services and respite,” the paper said.
A Service List will be used to inform senior Australians and providers of the services available in the new program.
“Services included on the Service List would be available to senior Australians at a Commonwealth Government subsidised cost,” the paper said.
“Providers may choose to offer additional services to senior Australians; however, these would not receive Commonwealth Government funding and would be at the person’s own cost.”
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in the meantime:
Home care providers do need to be aware of this:
Change since 1 February 2021
Improved Payment Arrangements for Home Care
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.
Richard Colbeck
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 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 on 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.
Phase 2 – on 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.
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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AN ABSOLUTELY MUST READ:
Benefits and entitlements for retirees and seniors
Last Updated at December 2nd 2021
There are many different payments and supplements available to seniors and retirees to help with daily living and health expenses.
Key points:
- Different payments and supplements are available to help with daily living expenses
- The Age Pension is one of the main income support payments for older people
- A financial planner can help you access benefits you may not know about
Call now for an obligation-free chat regarding Financial Services options for you or your loved one with a financial services expert.
1300 863 216
You may be able to access financial support towards energy payments, receive a regular payment because you're caring for a loved one or are entitled to free health assessments.
Below we've outlined the most commonly accessible benefits and entitlements to help you get started.
All of these benefits are available from Services Australia and are accessed through Centrelink but it's also a good idea to check with your local Government Health Departments for other available supplements or programs specifically for your State or Territory
- Age Pension The Age Pension is an income support payment from the Federal Government for people who have reached the age of 66 and over, who have income and/or assets that are under the applicable limits, and meet all residency requirements.
- You can receive the age pension straight away after you turn 66 and you retire or can start accepting it after your superannuation is under the applicable income and asset limits.
The maximum basic rate for the Age Pension (as of 1 October 2021) is $882.20 for a single person or $1,330 for a couple combined.
- If you own a home, that can impact how much pension you can receive. You will be subject to an assets test to determine how much the Government will pay you. You can receive the full pension if your assets are not more than the current asset test limit, which is up to $270,500 for a single person or up to $405,000 for a couple combined (as of 1 October 2021).
If you aren't a homeowner, you can receive the full pension up to $487,000 in assets as a single person or up to $621,500 in assets as a couple combined.
Carer Payment
If you are providing ongoing or constant care to a person with a disability or illness, you may also qualify for a Carer Payment. This payment aims to assist people who have caring duties that stop or impact them from being able to work in paid employment.
The Carer Payment is an income and assets tested support payment, which is considered a form of Government pension.
Carer Supplement
The Carer Supplement is a once a year lump sum to top up carers financially besides receiving their normal income payments.
You may be eligible to receive the supplement of $600 per person per year if you receive an income support payment like the Carer Allowance, Carer Payment, Department of Veterans' Affairs Partner Service Pension and Carer Allowances, or Department of Veterans' Affairs Carer Service Pension.
If eligible for the payment, you will receive the supplement for each person you care for. If you are a part time carer, you'll get a part rate of this Carer Supplement depending on how much care hours you currently provide.
You do not have to apply for the supplement, Centrelink will automatically pay you the supplement directly into your bank account if you are eligible and already receive the income support option listed above.
CONCESSION CARD
SENIOR HEALTH CARE CARD
https://www.qld.gov.au/seniors/legal-finance-concessions/seniors-card/applying-seniors-card
Essential Medical Equipment Payment
If you have medical equipment or medically require heating or cooling in your home, then you may be eligible for a yearly payment to help with energy costs.
You can receive $164 per year (as of 8 July 2021) for medically required heating or cooling and each piece of qualifying essential medical equipment.
Some eligible medication conditions include spinal cord injuries, stroke, brain injury, muscular dystrophies, or rare sweating disorders. Other eligible conditions can be found on the Centrelink website. There is also a list of equipment that would be eligible under the payment.
You might have to provide evidence of the equipment you use and what for, so you can receive the payment.
To claim the Medical Equipment Payment, visit the Centrelink website.
ENERGY SUPPLEMENT
RENT ASSISTANCE
CONTINENCE AIDS PAYMENT SCHEME
FREE HEALTHCARE ENTITLEMENTS FOR SENIORS
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healthcare in the home
To inform debate at the forum, the Centre produced an issues paper of the same name that compares hospital treatment with acute and chronic treatment services in the home.
The paper found that, in many cases:
- it was better for the patient and
- more cost effective to provide treatment at home than in hospital
- Besides the cost savings
- patients often prefer being at home and
- there can be other benefits
- like a reduced risk of hospital acquired/ cross infection
- medication errors and
- decreased patient depression and anxiety
The Older Persons COVID-19 Support Line informs, supports and connects for older Australians
Some older people are vulnerable to COVID-19 but less connected to the internet and in need of ways to access information for their circumstances. The Older Persons COVID-19 Support Line provides information and support.
Older Australians, their families, friends and carers can FREECALL 1800 171 866 if they:
would like to talk with someone about the COVID-19 restrictions and its impact on them
feel lonely or worry about a loved one
care for someone and need some information or someone to talk to
need help or advice about changing the aged care services they are receiving
need help to access new care services or essential supplies such as shopping
have concern about themselves, a friend or family member living with Dementia
would like to arrange a one-off or regular wellbeing check for themselves, or someone else.
Older Australians, their relatives, carers, friends or supporters can:
call 1800 171 866
8.30am – 6pm AEST weekdays
for any information or services they may need.
The Older Persons COVID-19 Support Line is a joint initiative of:
COTA Australia,
Dementia Australia,
National Seniors and
OPAN,
supported by funding from the Australian Government.
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Schedule of Fees and Charges for Residential and Home Care: From 20 March 2022
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.
Home Care Packages Program: Operational Manual for Home Care Package consumers - Version 1 - March 2020
- Introduction
- The Home Care Packages Program
- Your pathway to a Home Care Package
- What can be included in a Home Care Package?
- What is my Home Care Package budget?
- Managing your services
- Your rights and responsibilities
- Quality in aged care
- Further assistance
- What happens if I started my Home Care Package before 1 July 2014?
- Researching Home Care Providers - Considerations and checklist
- Entering into a Home Care Agreement - Considerations and checklist
- Changing Providers - Considerations and Checklist
- Setting up a myGov account
Calls For Cap On “Exorbitant” Home Care Administration Fees
By Caroline Egan. Feb 4, 2021
The Federal Member for Mayo is calling on the government to introduce caps on home care administration fees, claiming that charging older Australians receiving in-home care such “exorbitant” fees is akin to “elder abuse”.
Rebekha Sharkie said some providers are “gouging” more than 45% of home care packages in fees and charges. “My office has received complaint after complaint from constituents whose family members are paying between a third and up to a half of their annual package in so-called ‘management fees’,” Sharkie said in a statement.
Can I self-manage my Home Care Package? Yes, some providers will let you manage your own Home Care Package which can help you save money on fees. However, if you choose to do this, there is more work involved for you, so it’s best to make sure it’s the right option for you.
Read more
Finding a Provider... To find latest vacancies, have a look here. then click on different Providers to learn more. Please note that once given a Package, you have 56 days (with the option of an extension of 28 days) to take up a package with your chosen Provider before it is withdrawn, and goes back into the national 'prioritization queue’ . All is not lost though, an older person can 'opt out' if they are not ready to take up a package but still retain their place in the queue, should they choose to rejoin later.
The department is notifying older people on the queue when they are likely to be assigned a package within 90 days.
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.
The future of health care is not in hospitals
By Gihan Perera
Monday, 10 February, 2020
Read more: http://hospitalhealth.com.au/content/technology/article/the-future-of-health-care-is-not-in-hospitals-948585751#ixzz6DcnXA9Qa
Patients don’t care about hospitals; they care about their health. In the past, the hospital experience was a significant part of health care, but that won’t necessarily be true in the future. If you’re a hospital leader, look beyond your four walls and consider the entire patient journey, because that’s the only way to stay ahead of the game and avoid disruption.
With our ageing population, exponential technology advances and the increase in chronic diseases, the healthcare sector will play an ever-increasing role in our lives. Deloitte predicts healthcare spending worldwide will explode to $14 trillion (that’s trillion, with a ‘t’) by 2022.
But this growth won’t be distributed evenly and there will be winners and losers. Hospitals in particular are vulnerable because many of the services they provide will occur elsewhere. If hospitals keep making incremental changes, they will be vulnerable to disruption from elsewhere.
To protect from disruption, the hospital sector must take a broader perspective. In particular, it is important to consider how patients will engage with the healthcare system in the future.
Map the future patient journey. No-one knows exactly how people will behave in the future, but it is possible to get a good idea by mapping patients’ typical journeys through the healthcare system. For example, consider a common situation that hospitals face: a patient suffering a heart attack who requires emergency care. Let’s imagine how this patient’s journey might look in the near future.
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Older Aussies get dedicated pandemic support line
By: Dallas Bastian in News, Top Stories April 23, 2020
Senior Australians, their families and carers who seek help or advice about navigating the coronavirus pandemic now have access to a dedicated free call support line. The support line will operate Monday to Friday, except public holidays, from 8.30am to 6pm. It can be reached on 1800 171 866.
The phone line was set up by the government in conjunction with COTA Australia, National Seniors Australia, the Older Persons Advocacy Network and Dementia Australia.
Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians Richard Colbeck urged Australians to make use of support if they are feeling lonely, distressed, troubled or confused. OPAN chief executive Craig Gear said the hotline will provide particular support to those accessing aged care services who are disproportionately impacted by health precautions and restrictions. “People are scared and confused,” Gear said. “Many are unsure what is safe and what isn’t. The hotline is an important part of what will need to be a big community response. We need everyone checking in and supporting older people in aged care in particular because they are vulnerable to both the virus and social isolation.”
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Government To Conduct Welfare Checks On Those Deferring Home Care
By The Hon Richard Colbeck. Apr 8, 2020
Welfare checks will be conducted on Senior Australians who have elected to defer aged care home services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians Richard Colbeck said home care recipients who had suspended services to avoid the risk of contracting the virus would now receive phone calls to ensure their wellbeing.
“We don’t want people to fall through the cracks,” Minister Colbeck said. “Elderly people who receive home care visits are often extremely vulnerable.
“It’s clear some Senior Australians are anxious about the risks of visits from providers.
“Of course, it’s their choice to receive or not receive care – but we remain determined to ensure those who need support are still receiving it.”
Minister Colbeck said it was another measure to ensure Senior Australians received the support they needed during a difficult time.
BEFORE you make any decision, do contact your preferred Provider to find out how they are handling the changes. You may even come up with a suggestion of your own!!!
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Apply for an assessment online in 3 easy steps
https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/assessment/apply-online
Before you can access government-subsidised aged care services for the first time, you need to apply for an assessment. Using the online application is quick and easy and will only take 15 to 20 minutes to complete.
It’s the same form to apply for all types of care and support – including help at home, short-term care, and care in an aged care home. You can complete the application yourself or on behalf of a family member or friend. If you’d like to set up an ongoing representative, you can also do that here.
There are three parts. The first checks you are eligible, the second captures your details, and the third confirms who the assessor should call to arrange the assessment. You will need your Medicare card and enough time to complete it.
Start now
All Guides to Aged Care - just click on what YOU want to know NOW:-
https://www.agedcareguide.com.au/information/all
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Your first stop:
This section gives you easy access to all the My Aged Care brochures, forms, checklists and other documents that are located within My Aged Care website. Some are also available in other languages.
https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/resources
Home Care Packages Program Operational Manual for Home Care Package consumers
Version 1 – March 2020
Last updated March 2020
1.1 Helping you stay at home
The Australian Government funds a range of aged care services delivered in the community to support senior Australians to live independently in their own home for as long as possible.
These are:
entry level home support – ongoing or short-term entry level services provided under the Commonwealth Home Support Programme;
more coordinated support at home - coordinated support packages that address your care needs and goals through the Home Care Packages Program.
There are four levels of packages ranging from low care needs to high care needs. You can plan for your future by thinking about your aged care needs and personal goals early. Planning ahead improves your ability to live independently and to have your wishes respected when the time comes to access aged care services. Having these conversations with your family, doctor and other support people will ensure you are better prepared for the future. My Aged Care has further information on how to start planning for your future aged care needs. The My Aged Care website is www.myagedcare.gov.au.
What does the manual contain?
This manual is for the Home Care Packages Program, which enables coordinated support at home. The manual is a part of a suite of information resources including:
‘Your pathway to accessing a home care package’ brochure;
‘Your guide to Home Care Package services’ booklet; and
fact sheets and other information that may be of interest.
You can find all of these resources by going to https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/resources, scrolling to the bottom of the homepage and selecting “Resources” under “Further Information”. This manual has the most detailed information on the Home Care Packages Program. It takes you through the Home Care Packages Program from how to access a Home Care Package, what costs are involved and the care and support you can receive. You can also speak to your provider for more information.
How much does the government contribute?
The Australian Government pays a different subsidy amount for each level of Home Care Package. The government subsidy for each package level is as follows:
The package level assigned to you is based on your needs.
Package level Level of care needs
Level 1 Basic care needs – $9,026.45 a year
Level 2 Low care needs – $15,877.50 a year
Level 3 Intermediate care needs – $34,550.90 a year
Level 4 High care needs – $52,377.50 a year
* The government contribution increases each year. These figures are rounded.
The government contribution is paid directly to the home care provider you choose. You work in partnership with the provider to determine the care and services required, within the package budget. The funds won’t affect your pension because they don’t count as income.
Read more about further funding supplements your providers may be able to access.
How much does the government contribute?
The Australian Government contributes a different amount for each level of Home Care Package. The government subsidy for each package level is as follows:
Home Care Package level Daily government subsidy rate Yearly government contribution
Level 1 $24.73 $9,026.45
Level 2 $43.50 $15,877.50
Level 3 $94.66 $34,550.90
Level 4 $143.50 $52,377.50
The government contribution changes on 1 July every year; these figures are up to date as at 1 July 2021.
The government contribution is paid directly to the home care provider you choose. You work in partnership with the provider to determine the care and services you need, within the package budget. The funds won’t affect your pension, because they don’t count as income.
What will it cost me?
You’re expected to contribute to the cost of your care if you can afford it. Your contribution is made up of three types of fees:
- Basic daily fee (up to $10.85 from 20 March 2021)
Your provider may ask you to pay a basic daily fee based on your home care package level. - Income-tested care fee (up to $31.14 from 20 March 2021)
Some people may also have to pay an income-tested care fee. Whether you pay it, and how much of it you pay, is determined through a formal income assessment from the Services Australia. If you have to pay this fee, there are annual and lifetime limits on how much you can be asked to pay. - Additional fees
Any other amount you have agreed to pay for extra care and services that wouldn’t otherwise be covered by your Home Care Package. You can read more about the fees, caps, and how to use your package funds on our Home Care Package costs and fees page.
To get an estimate of the fees you may be asked to pay, use our fee estimator. How long will it take to get a Home Care Package?
After you have been assessed as being eligible, how long it takes to get a Home Care Package depends on what package level you are eligible for.
How urgently someone needs services can also impact how long it may take to receive a Home Care Package. Those with higher or more urgent needs are prioritised to receive services.
For people with a medium priority, the expected wait time for an approved Home Care Package is:
Package level Approximate wait time
Level 1 3 - 6 months
Level 2 9 - 12 months
Level 3 9 - 12 months
Level 4 9 - 12 months * Last revised 31 May 2021
The government contribution increases each year. These figures are rounded.
https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/home-care-package-costs-and-fees
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Home Care Clients Cancel Vital Services Amid Concerns About COVID-19
By Caroline Egan. Apr 1, 2020
Home care providers are looking “innovatively” at how they can deliver services to customers, Ms Sparrow said.
The government has helped, by allowing CHSP to be used flexibly. For example, if there is more need for food services than domestic assistance, then the funding can be used for the most needed purpose. If group activities are no longer taking place, the funding can be used for other forms of support.
Residents who receive home care services do so because the care is needed. It is their right to cancel services if they are concerned about COVID-19, but it’s important they have all the information before making that decision.
It’s also important that staff are able to fulfil all their infection control requirements in order to reassure clients and, of course, keep them safe.
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Home Care Providers - Actions you need to take, like NOW...
https://communitycarereview.com.au/sponsoredcontent/covid-19s-double-whammy-for-providers/
08 April 2020
https://communitycarereview.com.au/2020/03/27/technologys-role-in-overhauling-the-aged-care-sector/
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Latest info: RC calls for entitlement aged care system
By Natasha Egan on March 5, 2020 in Government, Industry
The residential and home aged care and support programs should be combined into a single program as soon as possible with demand-driven funding based on assessed need, the royal commission has been advised. To achieve this, funding needs to be linked to actual costs and not rationed, Senior Counsel Assisting Peter Gray told the royal commissioners at a hearing in Adelaide on Wednesday.
https://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/2020/03/05/rc-calls-for-entitlement-aged-care-system/
Unspent Funds: an avoidable problem
by Contributor on November 7, 2019 in Community Care Review
Some home care providers are about to reap the unpleasant consequences of poor management, poor insight and poor delivery of essential services to their client consumers, writes DAVID POWIS.
What is being proposed is a fundamental and extremely significant change in the funding model.
The following industry drivers have resulted in the prospect of an infinitely worse arrangement, financially:
- Provider misunderstanding of government policy and treasury thinking, which led to the belief that government will allow providers to retain and use unspent funds that had been allocated for the provision of care.
- Providers misleading themselves that they are in control of their business and therefore in charge of the business model that delivers services to their respective clients. The truth is that providers are in place to provide an alternative to the more costly and inefficient system of government delivering those services. The government has retained absolute control over how the arrangement will work and how providers will comply.
- Providers negotiating and determining service models with their clients, irrespective of whether it meets departmental and/or government expectations on how programs are to be delivered.
- Providers delegating broad decision-making powers to junior employees and/or lower level management personnel without appropriate checks and balances. Poor business decisions made in the name of compassion can have far reaching consequences, often at the lethal expense of the business they represent.
The industry needs to respond effectively to the Consultation Paper and in addition, undertake a full review of current practices to determine whether providers are:
- providing the appropriate services to consumers based on independent ACAT assessments of needs and desired outcomes.
- driving current business practices at the correct level of management, with delegation being monitored carefully.
- adopting a professional approach to the calculation of their pricing model since 1 July 2019, based on sufficient financial knowledge and an understanding of impacts on future viability.
- able to successfully operate home care businesses without the current level of “unspent funds” being available as working capital to the business.
- investigating how their business and financial plans will be impacted if future funding is provided in arrears, only on services delivered, as opposed to in advance.
- charging consumers an appropriate level of co-contribution to allow the service to operate effectively in the absence of “unspent funds”, that being the reason some providers have not charged consumers the full co-contribution.
- implementing staff education programs to adequately train staff and ensure that decisions are made at the appropriate levels of management.
- using sufficiently sophisticated computer systems and programs that will let them know the extent of these issues and assist them to monitor corrective action.
The extent of negative impacts on providers will depend on what preparatory action and forward planning are undertaken now to restructure operational models.
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14 June 2019
Australia’s home care providers are holding close to $7,000 in unspent funds for each client, a key aged care financial report reveals.
The latest StewartBrown Aged Care Financial Performance Survey, analysing data from 26,386 home care packages for the nine months ending in March, shows the amount of unspent funds is continuing to balloon over each quarter with almost $600 million now sitting in providers’ bank accounts around the country. According to an ACFA report released a year ago, providers were holding just over half that amount, or $329 million in unspent funds and $4,600 per client, at July 2018.
Funds are temporarily unspent because clients are saving up for a new wheelchair or an electric bed or other large capital items. Many aged persons with disabilities prefer to use Home Care Package funds for capital items. The providers would prefer they spent it on lawn mowing so they can take a percentage each and every time. But that’s just lazy bad management.
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Providers charge more for admin despite changes
by Judy Skatssoon July 1, 2020
A survey has found home care providers are charging more for administration than they were before the introduction of the new pricing transparency regime, and care management costs are going up as well.
The pricing transparency changes, introduced last April, meant administration costs could no longer be charged separately but needed to be factored into prices for care and services. Instead, providers are able to charge for package management, which can include preparing monthly statements, managing funds and meeting compliance and quality assurance standards. They can also charge for care management, which can take in plan reviews and scheduling of services.
This is somewhat surprising given that if anything, package management would be expected to decline as a result of the pricing transparency system.
https://communitycarereview.com.au/2020/07/01/providers-charge-more-for-admin-despite-changes/
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The Monthly Statement provided to YOU, the consumer, MUST specify:-
- the amount of subsidy paid
- the amount of home care fees paid or payable by the consumer
- the total amount paid or payable by the approved provider in respect of the home care provided during the month
- an itemised list of care and services provided to the consumer and paid or payable in relation to each kind of care or service
- amount of unspent funds
With the introduction of the new Aged Carer Quality Standards in July 2019, there is a much stronger emphasis placed on the organisation to demonstrate evidence about consumer engagement and outcomes and workforce training.
Strategies for Success with Lorraine Poulos "What the new home care pricing means for Providers."
in Community Care Review - Winter 2019
"Some Providers Charging High Case Management, Administration Costs”
The Aged Care Minister The Hon Ken Wyatt AM MP told HelloCare that home care operators that do not publish their fees online could face funding penalties. “I commissioned this report for an independent view of home care and am taking strong action on home care fees and transparency,” he said. “I expect administrative charges to be kept to a minimum, to maximise service delivery for senior Australians, and I am concerned with the practice of some providers charging high case management and administration costs.
"Another key source of confusion is around the mandated requirement by government that all approved providers must publish the prices they charge for certain common care and services in a standard format on My Aged Care, she says.
“Administration and Case Management are no longer separate categories and the model of charging a percentage of a home care package for these is no longer possible,” Ms Poulos says.
“There are two new categories – Package Management and Care Management – that have very clear definitions and requirements to validate charges made to a consumer’s package of care.
What is the difference between package management and care management?
on page 4
Care management is a support service that is an essential component of every Home Care Package. It ensures clients receive the appropriate level of support in a way that meets their current and future care needs. It should ensure there is no overlap, over-servicing or mismanagement of services. A full definition is outlined in in the Quality of Care Principles 2014 and also in the Home Care Pricing Schedule Definitions.
Package management is the ongoing administration and organisational activities associated with ensuring the smooth delivery and management of a Home Care Package. It may include the costs for:
preparing monthly statements
managing package funds
compliance and quality assurance activities required for Home Care Packages.
It does not include costs that are unrelated to supporting a client’s care, nor costs associated with a provider running their business such as marketing, office rent, insurance, or activities completed before a client enters into a Home Care Agreement. Where necessary, providers will include any other administration costs within the unit price for care and services, so clients can see the all-inclusive cost of delivering the service. The definitions for package management and business costs are outlined within the User Rights Principles 2014.
“Providers will also be required to attach to the Notice a copy of their full price list or a link to the full price list on their own website."
“Government has indicated that compliance with the new legislation will be monitored for ‘reasonable’ charges however there is no real guidance about what would be considered as ‘reasonable’.“
02 July 2019
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Some Services Covered By Home-Care Packages May Surprise You!
- Pet support – with 38 per cent of Australian owning a dog and 29 per cent with a cat, many older people require help taking care of a pet. You can use some of your home care package to cover pet support.
- Companionship – loneliness is one of the most serious issues for older people, both in terms of their health and their quality of life. You can use your home care package simply for companionship at home.
- Social support – your home care provider can take you to visit social supportgroups or on fun outings to do things you like to do, such as going to a movie, or visiting friends.
- Taxis – home care can also be used for taxi vouchers to help you get around.
- Manicures – home care providers may be able to provide manicures, which can be especially helpful for those whose fine motor skills may be affected by medical conditions.
- Massages – massages can help to relieve stress. Lymphedema massage can help to reduce swelling in the legs. Your home care provider may be able to provide massages.
- Technology – home care packages can be used to purchase technology and to learn how to use it. Technology is an essential part of everyday life these days, whether it be to keep in touch with friends or family, or to set up reminders for when to take your medication.
- Creative activities – you can use some of your home care package on creative pursuits, such as dance, painting or music sessions – which can deliver great improvements to your mental wellbeing and allow you to continue following your passions.
Other home care services include:
- Help with showering, toileting, and dressing
- Help with mobility
- Help with communication
- Help to prepare meals, and assistance eating
- Help can be provided with continence management
- Aids such as crutches, walking frames, mechanical devices for lifting, pressure relieving mattresses and bed-rails can be provided, and you can receive help in learning how to use them
- Speech therapy
- Podiatry
- Occupational therapy
- Physiotherapy
- Hearing and vision services
- Help with shopping
- Help to visit the doctor or attend social activities
- Help managing skin integrity
- Medication management
- Help keeping your home clean and tidy
- Washing, sorting, folding and ironing laundry
04 February 2019
New Aged care means assessment forms
The Department of Human Services (DHS) has released the new Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care (SA486) digital form. Your clients can fill it in online, print and sign it and send it to DHS with their supporting documents. The digital form uses dynamic questions tailored to the customers’ individual circumstances.
For clients who would prefer to use our simplified paper forms, they are as follows:
- Home Care Package Calculation of your cost of care (SA456)
- Residential Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care (SA457)
- Residential Aged Care Property details for Centrelink and DVA customers (SA485)
These forms are all available on the Services Australia website. Tips on how to download the digital form can be found here.
Aged care means tests: https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/services/aged-care-means-tests
We assess your financial details to work out how much you need to pay towards aged care.
Customers commencing a Home Care Package don’t need to fill in a form if they get a means tested income support payment from Centrelink or DVA.
Customers entering Residential Care don’t need to fill in a form if they:
- get a means tested income support payment, and
- don’t own their own home.
It is important to make sure their income and assets are up to date when they enter into care to ensure their assessment can be completed automatically. They can do this by accessing their Centrelink online account or by calling Centrelink on 132 300or DVA on 1800 555 254.
Department of Health
10 February 2020
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What is the Aged Care Assessment (ACAT) Team?
The ACAT assess people’s eligibility for Home Care Packages and other residential care services. They are professional health and community care clinicians who visit you at home to assess your needs. They do a comprehensive assessment for your eligibility for a Home Care Package, residential respite care or permanent residential care.
Comprehensive Assessment (ACAT only)
A Comprehensive Assessment, undertaken by the ACATs, builds on the information collected in the contact centre screening and Home Support Assessment (if applicable) and in a suitable face-to-face context (preferably in the client’s usual accommodation setting) to determine a client’s eligibility for care types under the Act. It encompasses the same client information as the Home Support Assessment at a deeper level.
The assessor will comprehensively assess:
- the client’s physical capability,
- medical condition,
- psychosocial factors,
- cognitive and behavioral factors,
- physical environmental factors
- and restorative needs.
The assessor and client will work together to establish a support plan that reflects the client’s strengths and abilities, areas of difficulty, and the support that will best meet their needs and goals. This will include the consideration of formal and informal services as well as reablement and/or restorative pathways.
Where a care type under the Act is identified as the most appropriate type of support to meet the client’s needs, and the client meets the eligibility criteria, the assessor will make a recommendation for approval. A client may be approved for a Home Care Package, Residential Care, Residential Respite Care or Flexible Care (Transition Care Program [TCP] or Short-Term Restorative Care [STRC]). Clients may also be referred to Commonwealth Home Support Program services where appropriate.
Aged Care Services - those aged 65 or older & their Carers
Need help to stay living in your own home and community? Everyday tasks difficult and need support?
First you need an Assessment, an ACAT - someone comes in person to see you in your own home
Phone 1800 200 422 (Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturday 10am to 2pm).
What happens during an assessment?
During the assessment visit, the ACAT clinician (usually a nurse, social worker or other health care professional) will ask questions about how well you are managing in your day-to-day life. They will also explain the assessment process and give you advice about on the types of care services that may help you to stay at home. Your assessed needs will determine which level of Home Care Package you are eligible for. You will also be asked about whether you want approvals to use residential respite care in the future. In some instances, when staying at home is no longer possible, the assessment can also help to determine your eligibility for care in a residential aged care facility.
My Aged Care Assessment Manual June 2018
Page last updated: 25 June 2018
The My Aged Care Assessment Manual for Regional Assessment Services and Aged Care Assessment Teams (the Manual) is designed to drive good practices in the assessment of older people’s support needs and eligibility for Commonwealth - subsidised aged care services under the Commonwealth Home Support Programme and/or types of care under the Aged Care Act 1997. The Manual replaces the Aged Care Assessment Program Guidelines May 2015 and the My Aged Care Regional Assessment Service Guidelines June 2015.
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Q. Can I have someone with me during the ACAT assessment?
A. Yes – It’s a good idea to have someone you trust and who knows you well at the assessment home visit. You can have a friend, family member, partner, carer or advocate with you during the assessment. To find a local advocate, contact the National Aged Care Advocacy Line on 1800 700 600.
Q. How can I prepare for my ACAT assessment?
A. During the assessment, you will be asked about what you can still do for yourself and what you want assistance with. It helps if you have already thought about what your needs are, and about what you help you think you will want in the foreseeable future.
Q. When should I agree to have an assessment of my needs?
A. Having an assessment worries me! Some older people are worried that having an assessment means a fast-track into a nursing home. The truth is that most people will be linked into community care services that help them stay living in their own home. Many people get extra help at home. If you think you might benefit from some assistance, it’s a good idea to have an assessment. Over the phone, My Aged Care will help work out what type of assessment you need and will start the process for you.
Once you’ve had an assessment, you make up your own mind about whether you want to accept the outcome. It’s your life and your choice.
As everyone’s care needs are different, there are four levels of Home Care Packages with different funding amounts. These cover basic support needs through to high care needs.
How much does the government contribute?
The Australian Government pays a different subsidy amount for each level of Home Care Package. The government subsidy for each package level is as follows:
Home Care Package level Approximate yearly government contribution
Level 1 $9,000
Level 2 $15,750
Level 3 $34,250
Level 4 $52,000
* The government contribution increases each year. These figures are rounded.
The government contribution is paid directly to the home care provider you choose. You work in partnership with the provider to determine the care and services required, within the package budget. The funds won’t affect your pension because they don’t count as income.
Read more about further funding supplements your providers may be able to access.
From 20 March 2020, the basic daily fee by Home Care Package level will be:
Package level Per cent of the single person rate Daily fee Fortnightly fee
of basic age pension
Level 1 15.68 $9.63 $134.82
Level 2 16.58 $10.19 $142.66
Level 3 17.05 $10.48 $146.72
Level 4 17.50 $10.75 $150.50
Providers can ask you to pay a basic daily fee. Use the Find a provider tool to see if your chosen provider will collect this fee.
The government contribution increases each year. These figures are rounded.
https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/home-care-package-costs-and-fees
What is the income-tested care fee?
The income-tested care fee is an extra contribution that some people may be asked to pay because they can afford to do so, as determined through an income assessment. This fee is different for everyone. It’s based on individual income including your pension. However, full pensioners do not pay an income-tested care fee.
You could pay up to $15.24 per day, if you:
- Are single earning over $27,463.80
- Are a member of a couple living together earning over $21,294.00
- Are a member of a couple living apart due to illness earning over $26,943.80
You could pay between $15.25 - $30.49 if you:
- Are single earning over $53,060.80
- Are a member of a couple living together earning over $40,586.00
- Are a member of a couple living apart due to illness earning over $52,540.80
Schedule of Fees and Charges for Residential and Home Care: From 20 March 2022
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.
The Australian Government pays for the bulk of aged care in Australia. But as with all aged care services, it's expected you'll contribute to the cost of your care if you can afford to do so. You will never be denied the care you need because you can't afford it.
Bulk Billed Telehealth: People in isolation or quarantine for COVID-19 can see any eligible health provider through new telehealth items. Patients in vulnerable groups can additionally see a health provider via telehealth for a non-COVID-19 matter if they have seen that provider, or another provider within the same practice, face-to-face at least once in the previous 12 months. Additional guides to these services for providers are available via MBS Online. All services provided using the new MBS items must be bulk billed.
Contact your GP doctor, mental health practitioner or midwife by phone, especially if you have cold or flu symptoms and explain your situation.
Older people living well within Home Support:
March 2019
"Participants described the hours of personal care they received on the different levels of home care packages.
On average, these were:
• 2 hours per week on Level 1 package;
• 3 hours per week on a Level 2 package;
• 8 hours per week on a Level 3 package; and
• 14 hours per week on a Level 4 package.
Participants described fourteen (14) hours of personal care per week on a Level 4 home care package as insufficient support for frail older people to remain at home. Several said an older person required additional family and/or community support to remain at home. Several participants acknowledged they would not have been able to remain at home without family support. Although some husbands, wives, sons and daughters received either a Carer Payment or Carer Allowance, several participants provided unpaid labor to support their older relative. Not surprisingly, women predominantly undertook this unpaid labor."
You’re expected to contribute to the cost of your care if you can afford it. Your contribution is made up of three types of fees:
- Basic daily fee from 1 January 2020
Your provider may ask you to pay a basic daily fee based on your home care package level. - Income-tested care fee from 1 January 2020
Some people may also have to pay an income-tested care fee. Whether you pay it, and how much of it you pay, is determined through a formal income assessment from the Department of Human Services. If you have to pay this fee, there are annual and lifetime limits on how much you can be asked to pay. - Additional fees
Any other amount you have agreed to pay for extra care and services that wouldn’t otherwise be covered by your Home Care Package. You can read more about the fees, caps, and how to use your package funds on our Home Care Package costs and fees page.
To get an estimate of the fees you may be asked to pay, use our home care fee estimator.
There’s help if you need assistance to pay your aged care costs
17 March 2021
It’s now easier to get help if you need assistance to pay your aged care costs.
We’ve improved our Aged Care Claim for financial hardship assistance form and made changes to some evidence requirements. We’ve made these changes so it’s easier for you to get help.
You may get help if you can’t pay your aged care costs and you’re either:
- in residential or respite care
- getting a home care package.
- you’ve completed a calculation of your cost of care
- you have assets valued less than the current threshold
- you haven’t made gifts over the limits.
If you get a Home Care Package, your care must have started on or after 1 July 2014.
Before you claim, you should update your income and asset details as well as your partners if you have one.
You may also be eligible for other payments and services.
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Aged Care Subsidies and Supplements New Rates of Daily Payments from 20 September 2019
Home Care Subsidies and Supplements
These rates are applicable from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020
Home Care Subsidy Rates
Home Care Package Level Subsidy Rate Approximate Hours per week
Level 1 $24.07 2 hours per week (on average)
Level 2 $42.35 3-4 hours per week (on average)
Level 3 $92.16 7-9 hours per week (on average)
Level 4 $139.70 10-13 hours per week (on average)
Aged Care Calculator: https://www.cota.org.au/information/aged-care-calculator/
Home Care Supplements
1. Dementia and Cognition and Veterans’ Supplement
Home Care Package Level Amount of Supplement
Level 1 $2.77
Level 2 $4.87
Level 3 $10.60
Level 4 $16.07
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Some Services Covered By Home-Care Packages May Surprise You!
- Pet support – with 38 per cent of Australian owning a dog and 29 per cent with a cat, many older people require help taking care of a pet. You can use some of your home care package to cover pet support.
- Companionship – loneliness is one of the most serious issues for older people, both in terms of their health and their quality of life. You can use your home care package simply for companionship at home.
- Social support – your home care provider can take you to visit social support groups or on fun outings to do things you like to do, such as going to a movie, or visiting friends.
- Taxis – home care can also be used for taxi vouchers to help you get around.
- Manicures – home care providers may be able to provide manicures, which can be especially helpful for those whose fine motor skills may be affected by medical conditions.
- Massages – massages can help to relieve stress. Lymphedema massage can help to reduce swelling in the legs. Your home care provider may be able to provide massages.
- Technology – home care packages can be used to purchase technology and to learn how to use it. Technology is an essential part of everyday life these days, whether it be to keep in touch with friends or family, or to set up reminders for when to take your medication.
- Creative activities – you can use some of your home care package on creative pursuits, such as dance, painting or music sessions – which can deliver great improvements to your mental wellbeing and allow you to continue following your passions.
Other home care services include:
- Help with showering, toileting, and dressing
- Help with mobility
- Help with communication
- Help to prepare meals, and assistance eating
- Help can be provided with continence management
- Aids such as crutches, walking frames, mechanical devices for lifting, pressure relieving mattresses and bed-rails can be provided, and you can receive help in learning how to use them
- Speech therapy
- Podiatry
- Occupational therapy
- Physiotherapy
- Hearing and vision services
- Help with shopping
- Help to visit the doctor or attend social activities
- Help managing skin integrity
- Medication management
- Help keeping your home clean and tidy
- Washing, sorting, folding and ironing laundry
04 February 2019
An additional 10,000 home care packages across all levels will be made available as part of the Government’s recently announced $662 million package to support older Australians.
The funding boost, which was announced ahead of the first Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety hearing in Adelaide, will also include $320 million for residential care, equating to approximately $1,800 per permanent resident over the next 18 months while the Government considers a longer-term funding approach.
The Government’s additional 5,000 Level Three and 5,000 Level Four packages were allocated by 30 June 2019, providing funding for up to $50,000 of care services per person per year including:
- nursing,
- home assistance,
- nutrition and meal preparation and
- transport support.
The new investment aims to help speed up access to home care and ensure older Australians receive safe, high-quality services when and where they need them. It will increase aged care access and further strengthen safety, quality and transparency and allow older Australians to live in their home longer and stay independent.
The funding also includes:
- A $4.2 million mandatory national aged care quality indicator program
- $7.7 million to enhance the safety, quality and integrity of home care
- $35.7 million to increase home care supplements for dementia and cognition and veterans
- A $4.6 million trial of a new residential care funding tool to replace the Aged Care Funding Instrument (ACFI)
- A new $7.4 million business advisory service for both residential and home care providers to help them improve their operations and share best practice.
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Tasmanian independent MP Andrew Wilkie has accused community care providers of charging their clients excessive administration fees on a scale that amounts to “systemic rorting” of government subsidies.
Mr Wilkie told Federal Parliament last week he had received many complaints from older people and their families about “ridiculous administrative costs” being levied on consumers. In one example described to Parliament, Mr Wilkie said a home care package client was being charged $165 per hour for basic house cleaning and showering services once non-direct care costs were added to their individual statement.
He said overcharging by many service providers was “on a scale that a reasonable person would characterise as systemic rorting.” “Some service providers are delivering very little and padding out the invoice with ridiculous administrative charges which in some cases is quadrupling the total bill,” he said.
Providers Must prepare an individualised, itemised budget with the consumer and review that budget that there is a change in care and services, if costs change or if a review is requested.
and do Read the comments after the article...
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TO COMPARE $ PRICES in Home Care
Since 1 July 2019 home care providers have needed to publish their prices in a new standardised home care pricing Schedule on the My Aged Care website. This transition to the new pricing structure may be an opportune time to analyse their current pricing policies and determine if they (the Provider) need to change their prices.
The Schedule will provide information on the common services and costs under a home care package.
This will better support senior Australians to understand and compare home care pricing information, and make a more informed decision about which provider is best placed to deliver your care.
01 July 2019
WHAT TO DO...
STEP 1: https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/find-a-provider
STEP 2: Click on "Help at Home"
STEP 3: Select your Suburb
STEP 4: Click on "Home Support Services" Entry Level Care to get a list of Providers
OR “Home Care Package” Level 1, 2, 3 or 4
You can then click on the Providers name for their details
OR Just click on COMPARE – up to 3 at a time
and COMPARE ONE PROVIDER $ AGAINST ANOTHER... Just scroll down.
You are looking at:-
Case Management - approximate number of hours per fortnight
- Fully funded by Provider
- Self-managed by YOU
Price for Common Services - shown as $ per hour
- Personal Care
- Nursing
- Cleaning and Household tasks
- Light gardening
- In-home Respite
Other costs:
- Package management
- Staff travel costs to visit you
- Separate cost when you want to receive services from a different Provider
- Maximum Exit $ amount
Frequently Asked Questions: https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/frequently-asked-questions
It's quite an Eye-opener!!!
Home care providers have been required to publish their pricing information in a new standardised schedule on the My Aged Care website since 1 July. Aged care minister Ken Wyatt said the move will help older adults understand and compare service offerings and prices across providers. “The greater transparency will also address the concerns raised about high administration prices being charged by some home care providers, which reduces the amount of taxpayer subsidised funds being spent on actual support,” Wyatt said.
The Department is actively monitoring home care providers and has already written to those who have not complied.”
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“$50,000 Should Not Translate To Just Nine Hours Of Care,” Royal Commission Hears
by Caroline Egan.
https://hellocaremail.com.au/home-care-delivered-hours-care-royal-commission/
Home care was under the Royal Commission’s spotlight on Monday, as the second set of hearings began.
A government committee is considering putting a cap on home care package administration fees amid claims some providers are charging up to 45 per cent on top of service fees. Greens senator Rachael Siewert asked the senate estimates committee sitting on October 24 if home care administration fees were being monitored, saying she had an invoice showing administration fees of 38 per cent, and had heard of figures as high as 45 per cent being charged.
Comparing home care options and choosing the right one can be challenging, but new government reforms are set to simplify the process. The Department of Health is introducing a range of changes to make it easier for consumers to compare service offerings and costs across different home care providers.
Since April 2019, home care providers should start publishing their pricing information. This was mandatory from 1 July 2019. There will also be changes to the way administration costs can be charged.
19 March 2019
New standardised home care pricing Schedule
since 1 July 2019
To improve transparency for senior Australians, all home care providers will need to publish their pricing information in a new standardised pricing comparability Schedule (the Schedule) on the My Aged Care Service Finder. Providers are encouraged to do so as soon as possible once the format is available in the My Aged Care Provider Portal from April 2019. Compliance will be required from 1 July 2019. The Schedule will provide information on the common services and costs under a home care package. This will better support senior Australians to understand and compare home care pricing information, and make a more informed decision about which provider is best placed to deliver their care.
This is in addition to the existing legislated requirement under the User Rights Principles 2014 that since 30 November 2018 all home care providers must have published their current pricing information on My Aged Care. The department has commenced action to ensure compliance. For those providers who have not complied, please immediately publish the required information.
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Approval for Home Care packages
Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) approvals for Home Care
ACAT Guidance Framework for Home Care Package Level - 18 December 2019
https://agedcare.health.gov.au/user-guide-for-the-guidance-framework
How is YOUR Level assessed?
What Questions are being asked?
This guide has been developed for Aged Care Assessment Teams to inform and support their decision making when recommending a specific Home Care Package level.
https://agedcare.health.gov.au/sites/g/files/net1426/f/documents/07_2017/guidance_on_priority_for_home_care_services.pdf
There are only two priority for home care service categories – medium and high. The primary goal is to quickly identify and facilitate access for those clients with a relatively urgent need for access to care, i.e. 'high' priority. Including all other clients in the 'medium' category recognises that all clients assessed for and seeking a Home Care Package have a need for care and would benefit from timely package assignment. There is no ‘low’ priority for home care service. Clients who do not want to access a package should be identified as ‘not seeking services’ following assessment so they are not placed on the queue. Clients will not be disadvantaged by choosing this option as if they decide to join the queue at a later date; they will be assigned a package based on their original approval date and priority for service.
Schedule of Fees and Charges for Residential and Home Care: From 1 January 2022
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.
The long wait for home care packages is forcing some older people to enter residential care prematurely because of carer burn-out and lack of reablement support, the aged care royal commission has heard. If you want to stay in your own home, but need some help with daily tasks, or require entry level care, the Commonwealth Home Support Programme may be another option.
Have you thought of enquiring into a Commonwealth Home Care Support Programme for your loved one?
Funded by the Australian Government, the CHSP is an entry level home help programme for older people who are mostly – but not completely – able to live and cope on their own, and don’t yet need higher levels of support at home. A home support assessment conducted by the Regional Assessment Service (RAS) is required to access Government subsidised support at home.
https://www.agedcareguide.com.au/talking-aged-care/extra-15-million-to-support-independent-living
Around 1,600 providers currently deliver CHSP services to around 800,000 Australians. In many cases the CHSP provides low-level bridging assistance for the growing list of people waiting for a home care package. Current CHSP funding arrangements are set to expire in June 2020.
It is designed to provide a relatively small amount of care and support to a large number of frail older people to help them to remain living at home and in their communities. CHSP services can be delivered on a short-term, episodic or ongoing basis and have a strong focus on activities that support independence and social connectedness and provide more choice to consumers.
A $15 million funding boost will enable Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) providers to complete thousands more home modifications across the country, helping senior Australians live at home for longer. This investment is in addition to the Government’s $100 million, two-year growth funding that began rolling out nationwide this month, as part of the $5.5 billion CHSP services.
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Home Care - a guide to your consumer rights
YOU have the same rights as when you buy goods or services under the Australian Consumer Law. The reforms are in response to mounting concerns raised by aged care consumers and families about the lack of transparency and comparability of home care pricing information, and the high administration prices being charged by some providers.
A detailed guide for consumers, families, carers and advocates on how consumer laws apply to home care arrangements.
13 July 2018
Providers have responsibilities to support consumers to understand the new Charter of Aged Care Rights comes into effect from 1 July 2019.
From 1 July 2019, providers must give consumers a copy of the new Charter signed by the provider, and ensure that the consumer or their authorised person has been given a reasonable opportunity to sign a copy of the Charter.
- Residential aged care services will have until 30 September 2019 to provide the signed Charter to their residents.
- Home care providers will have until 31 December 2019.
“Since 1 July 2019 providers are also required to complete a standardised schedule of pricing information on My Aged Care. This will allow senior Australians and their families to make like-for-like comparisons,” Mr Wyatt said. “The legislative changes required to mandate that all home care providers publish their pricing information within a standardised schedule on My Aged Care by 1 July 2019, are currently being finalised.”
08 March 2019
The Minister for Aged Care has revealed the government may impose “funding penalties” on home care providers that don’t publish their pricing information.
Earlier this week, public health researcher, Dr Sarah Russell of Research Matters, handed down her report on the home care sector to Minister Wyatt.
The report revealed a litany of serious problems in the home care sector, including
- long waiting lists,
- rorting,
- organisations with no experience caring for older people winning contracts,
- older people having to accept strangers into their homes,
- and support workers with limited and sometimes no training.
“Some Providers Charging High Case Management, Administration Costs”. The Aged Care Minister The Hon Ken Wyatt AM MP told HelloCare that home care operators that do not publish their fees online could face funding penalties.
If you have any concerns about home care services, staff and fees, or the My Aged Care system, you should call the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission on 1800 951 822.
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AND there will be More Information available to YOU.
New requirements for home care service finder information
https://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/2018/11/09/confused-about-the-gst-help-at-hand-for-home-care-providers/
The health department has updated its guidance materials for approved home care providers on new requirements for putting information the My Aged Care portal service finder.
The service finder is designed to make easier to find accurate and consistent information, the department says, and all providers will be required to publish prices on the My Aged Care Service Finder according to a standardised pricing schedule by April 30, 2019, allowing consumers to compare single unit costs.
The new requirements come in response to consumer complaints about a lack of clarity and confusion about sourcing services.
More information is available on the Managing your home care service information factsheet .
25 October 2018
Update on quality standards
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission 1800 550 552 regarding a Commonwealth-subsidised residential or home-based aged care service
03 January 2020 https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/about-us
Minister Wyatt announced that the Complaints Commissioner and the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency has formed part of the New Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission since January 2019. "I am confident the new Commission will better target sub-standard care. It will be a central point to identify failures, highlights quality concerns and have them rectified,” he says.
The Commission replaces the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency and the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner. Combining these functions into one independent agency strengthens the focus on consumers, streamlines regulation, supports better engagement with consumers and providers, and promotes transparency.
Since 1 January 2020, aged care approval and compliance functions will transfer to us from the Department of Health.
The new Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission began on January 1st, 2019.
Who do the Act and Rules apply to?
- Approved providers of residential aged care services, home care services and short-term restorative care services.
- Service providers of Commonwealth-funded aged care services (this includes Commonwealth Home Support Programme and National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Care Program (NATSIFACP) services).
Following the first round of hearings, the Royal Commission released its first background paper on Australia’s current aged care system.
Background Paper 1-8 is called Navigating the maze: an overview of Australia’s current aged care system. It outlines different aspects of the aged care system, the services currently being delivered in Australia and the areas in need of substantial reform.
The Royal Commission will be accepting submissions until mid 2019 from members of the public interested in providing evidence. Submissions can be lodged online, via mail or telephone.
- Online submission
- Mail to: Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, GPO Box 1151, Adelaide SA 5001
- Information helpline: 1800 960 711
Key Changes under the new Commission Act and Rules.
The new commissioners of the Royal Commission in to Aged Care Quality and Safety has written to the nation’s top 100 aged care operators, asking them to self-report on details of their operations. The request for information is the first step in the Royal Commission’s information gathering process. The deadline for providing information is January. Smaller operators will also be contacted, and will be given a later deadline.
The letters mark what will be a huge information-gathering process involving every aged care facility in Australia, and also begins a process of review for all operators of their own individual systems and processes.
26 June 2019
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Finding a Provider...
To find latest vacancies, have a look here. then click on different Providers to learn more. Please note the once given a Package, you have 56 days (with the option of an extension of 28 days) to take up a package with your chosen Provider before it is withdrawn, and goes back into the national 'prioritization queue’ . All is not lost though, an older person can 'opt out' if they are not ready to take up a package but still retain their place in the queue, should they choose to rejoin later.
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.
Areas of no change to program arrangements:
- Existing home care consumers will continue to receive care and services.
- No changes to the current fee arrangements in home care.
- All home care packages will continue to be delivered on a CDC basis, but with greater choice for the consumer as to who provides their care.
- The total number of home care packages will continue to be capped in line with the aged care planning ratio and the forward estimates.
- Funding will continue to be paid to an approved provider.
- No changes to the claiming process for providers through the Department of Human Services.
How do I find a home care service provider?
The Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) team can refer you to home care service providers in your local area. They might also give you a list of all the home care service providers in the area (not the 'private firms' though). If you want you can do your own research at
https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/find-a-provider/help-at-home?tab=home-care-package-providers
or you can phone My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.
Costs: The Australian Government subsidises many aged care services to keep costs reasonable and affordable. Costs vary for different types of care and different service providers. There are no standard costs for aged care services. If you are eligible, you are expected to contribute to the cost of your care if you can afford to.
https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/understanding-costs
As everyone’s care needs are different, there are four levels of Home Care Packages with different funding amounts. These cover basic support needs through to high care needs.
How much does the government contribute?The Australian Government pays a different subsidy amount for each level of Home Care Package. The government subsidy for each package level is as follows:
Home Care Package levelApproximate yearly government contribution Level 1$9,000
Level 2$15,750
Level 3$34,250
Level 4$52,000* The government contribution increases each year. These figures are rounded.
The government contribution is paid directly to the home care provider you choose. You work in partnership with the provider to determine the care and services required, within the package budget. The funds won’t affect your pension because they don’t count as income.
Read more about further funding supplements your providers may be able to access.
A government committee is considering putting a cap on home care package administration fees amid claims some providers are charging up to 45 per cent on top of service fees. Greens senator Rachael Siewert asked the senate estimates committee sitting on October 24 if home care administration fees were being monitored, saying she had an invoice showing administration fees of 38 per cent, and had heard of figures as high as 45 per cent being charged.
The health department’s Fiona Buffinton acknowledged high administration fees were “a problem” for home care providers and said a government committee was looking a at possible cap as part of a wider discussion of how to resolve the issue. “One of the discussions for the group, including with consumers, has been on the nature of administration fees – do you make them transparent and let the market engage with that … or do you cap – that’s part of the discussion that has been taking place within that group,” Ms Buffinton said.
The government was also in discussions with the sector to ensure greater transparency in relation to fees, as well as improving information on the My Aged Care portal. All providers will be required to publish current pricing information on My Aged Care by the end of November 2019 and information comparing prices will become available on the website from next April, she said.
https://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/2018/11/05/government-weighs-cap-on-home-care-admin-fees/
Comparing home care options and choosing the right one can be challenging, but new government reforms are set to simplify the process. The Department of Health introduced a range of changes to make it easier for consumers to compare service offerings and costs across different home care providers.
The reforms are in response to mounting concerns raised by aged care consumers and families about the lack of transparency and comparability of home care pricing information, and the high administration prices being charged by some providers. The government was also in discussions with the sector to ensure greater transparency in relation to fees, as well as improving information on the My Aged Care portal.
All providers will be required to publish current pricing information on My Aged Care by the end of November and information comparing prices will become available on the website from next April.
Consumers don’t have to wait long before they can start reaping the benefits, with all service providers required to publish their current home care pricing information on the My Aged Care (MAC) Service Finder since 30 November 2018.
The federal government has announced $553 million in aged care spending including the release of 10,000 home care packages and increased residential supplements for the homeless and people in regional areas.
The splash-out is a centerpiece of the federal government’s Mid Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook, which forecasts a return to budget surplus and a raft of new aged care spending initiatives.
____________________________Pathway to access a home care package_____________________
After you have been assessed as eligible for a home care package, follow this pathway to access and manage your services:
Search for a home care provider
- Receive the outcome of your assessment
- Your approval letter
- Waiting time
- Research home care providers and work out the costs
- Be assigned a home care package
- Enter into a home care agreement
- Home care agreement
- Care plan
- Budget
- Manage your services
- Starting services
- Extra services
- Changing care needs
- Supplements for specific care needs
- Changing providers
- Moving unspent funds and paying exit amounts
- Rights and responsibilities
- Complaints
An additional fortnightly payment if you give daily care to someone who has a disability, serious illness, or is frail aged.
https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/carer-allowance
01 February 2020
Eligibility basics
- you give extra care to someone who has a disability or severe illness or is frail aged
- their care needs score high enough on the ADAT or DCLAD
- they will have these needs for at least 12 months or the rest of their life
- you meet an income test
Guides to help you use myGov, Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support accounts and Express Plus mobile apps.
https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/online-help
08 October 2019
Find a Provider:
https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/find-a-provider
Now that the package (Level 1, 2, 3 or 4) goes to YOU. You choose your own Provider and the Government then gives them the $ to spend on what You Want; bearing in mind too, that the Daily Care Fee IS negotiable!
Do be aware too that some Providers are charging joining, upgrade or exit fees for their in home health and well-being services.
This is Not Mandatory, and should any Provider place these restrictions in your New Home Care Agreement, Do NOT sign it. You do NOT have to pay for these. Only those things which YOU have agreed to can be placed in your new Home Care Agreement. If this is happening to You, do not sign and immediately look around and choose another Provider.
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As a potential Customer, do be aware of what your Home Care Agreement ACTUALLY says: Do Not Sign it until you have had it all explained to you AND YOU UNDERSTAND IT.
A potential Home Care Provider needs to bear in mind when offering your Home Care Agreement:
As a provider of home care you will want to promote your business so that you can compete for customers. But you also have to make sure that you don’t break the law by saying things to consumers that might mislead or confuse them. When you offer home care services to consumers it is important that you present information (whether it be written or verbal) to a consumer accurately, clearly and honestly. This allows consumers the opportunity to make decisions with all the facts. Under the ACL, businesses that do not do this are likely to be engaging in misleading and deceptive conduct.
Misleading and deceptive conduct can include practices such as:
- false claims or statements about your home care services or the price
- false claims about a consumer’s legal rights
- not telling a consumer important information
- hiding important information in small print or disclaimers
- using overly complex language that means important information is not clear. Make sure that what you say or give to consumers is easy to understand, honest, and contains all the relevant information. Being honest and clear with your customers is the best way to promote longer relationships and grow your business.
Home Care Agreements need to be clear and easy to understand so that consumers are able to make informed decisions. Make sure that your Home Care Agreements are transparent, in plain language and highlight important terms, especially key information such as:
- what services are to be provided, by who, when and how
- costs and fees
- any conditions that may apply to the Home Care Agreement (for example termination conditions).
- Allow consumers enough time to read the Home Care Agreement, ask questions and seek assistance or advice if they need to.
- Never rush or pressure a consumer, as consumers have the right to take their time and seek financial or legal advice before signing.
Example: A term in a Home Care Agreement says “you agree to allow the provider to place a caveat over your home to enable the collection of any unpaid fees”. This would likely be an unfair term as it is not reasonably necessary to protect the legitimate interests of the business in relation to government funded home care services and would cause significant detriment to the consumer if it were relied upon.
Download your copy from the ACCC website: https://www.accc.gov.au/publications/home-care-services-your-business-rights-obligations
Home care services - your business rights & obligations.
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Even the bare bones home care management services still have management fees. These include administration and case management amounts that in some cases exceed 20 per cent of the funding. However, this is still significantly below an approximate industry average of 30 per cent with some operators charging above the 50 per cent mark.
For the Provider:
Change to pure self-management in the industry is no longer an if, rather a when. Developments in the industry are already visible with:
- New entrants. These new home care providers aren’t necessarily following the industry script around administration and case management charges. Many are simply costing in one management fee and others are charging only for administration. If case management is requested, this will be added as a cost or an independent case manager will be sought.
- Organisational cultures are changing. Many service providers are making their case managers more independent to that of their direct care staff, to the benefit of the care recipient. Providers are becoming more flexible with the ability to use other organisations where there are service and price benefits compared to in-house options.
- Home care provider duty of care is increasingly being supported by advances in technology. Some examples include online care worker verification services that provide reference, qualification and police checks, client wellness monitors via clockout processes, telehealth, personal alarm/trackers, home sensors, and carebots (friendly interactive robots).
- Software is appearing that claims full integration of home care provider administration requirements.
24 May 2018
"Another key source of confusion is around the mandated requirement by government that all approved providers must publish the prices they charge for certain common care and services in a standard format on My Aged Care, she says.
“Administration and Case Management are no longer separate categories and the model of charging a percentage of a home care package for these is no longer possible,” Ms Poulos says.
“There are two new categories – Package Management and Care Management – that have very clear definitions and requirements to validate charges made to a consumer’s package of care.
What is the difference between package management and care management?
Care management is a support service that is an essential component of every Home Care Package. It ensures clients receive the appropriate level of support in a way that meets their current and future care needs. It should ensure there is no overlap, over-servicing or mismanagement of services. A full definition is outlined in in the Quality of Care Principles 2014 and also in the Home Care Pricing Schedule Definitions.
"Case managers will work with you and your family or carer to develop and implement individualised care plans best suited to your needs.If you are eligible for a Government funded care package, case managers are assigned through your service provider as part of your homecare package or home care services.
However, if you have complex and multiple needs and you’re looking at different care options, or you would prefer not to use a government funded package, you may choose to use the services of a private case manager.
Private case managers provide support and coordinate your care to ensure your needs are met. They liaise with service providers, medical and other allied health professionals, and they can also negotiate with legal and advocate groups to ensure your rights are protected. You employ them according to your needs; you might want one for a short-term period or as an ongoing support."
https://www.agedcareguide.com.au/information/case-managers
Package management is the ongoing administration and organisational activities associated with ensuring the smooth delivery and management of a Home Care Package. It may include the costs for:
preparing monthly statements
managing package funds
compliance and quality assurance activities required for Home Care Packages.
It does not include costs that are unrelated to supporting a client’s care, nor costs associated with a provider running their business such as marketing, office rent, insurance, or activities completed before a client enters into a Home Care Agreement. Where necessary, providers will include any other administration costs within the unit price for care and services, so clients can see the all-inclusive cost of delivering the service. The definitions for package management and business costs are outlined within the User Rights Principles 2014.
“Providers will also be required to attach to the Notice a copy of their full price list or a link to the full price list on their own website.
“Government has indicated that compliance with the new legislation will be monitored for ‘reasonable’ charges however there is no real guidance about what would be considered as ‘reasonable’.“
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Your Budget:
1 July 2019
- When a service provider offers you a home care package, they will need to work with you to develop an individual budget to fund your care plan.
- The individual budget sets out the total amount of funds available under your home care package and how those funds will be allocated and spent.
- Your service provider administers the home care package funds on your behalf.
- Your home care package budget is made up of:
- the basic daily care fee
- any other amount you’ve agreed to pay for extra care or services, not covered in your package.
- All care and services provided to you through a home care package must be within your package budget, unless you make more contributions.
- Any unspent funds must be rolled over from month to month and year to year for as long as you remain in the package.
HOW to find a Provider?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvwg8lb4-Io
My Aged Care – Home Care Package Service Finder
Published on Feb 28, 2017
This video provides an overview of how to use the Home Care Package service finder to find a provider that best meets your needs. The video guides you through:
• how to do a basic search based on your location, or the provider’s name (if known);
• how to do an advanced search to narrow your results to providers who offer specialised services, or cater to specific cultural, religious and language specialisations;
• how to interpret the information from your search result; and
• how to create a short-list of your preferred providers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQtsUgeLVWI&feature=youtu.be
My Aged Care - Overview of Home Care Packages
This video provides an overview of how to access aged care services under a Home Care Package. The video guides you through:
• the initial screening and assessment process undertaken by the My Aged Care contact centre
• receiving the outcome of your assessment
• researching providers and working out costs
• being assigned a home care package
• entering into a home care agreement
• managing your services.
Home Care has been expanded to assist people to remain living at home for as long as possible, and to introduce more choice and flexibility for people receiving care at home. A Home Care Agreement is an agreement between you and your home care provider that sets out what care and services You want.
You may decide you would rather pay a private cleaner and get exactly what you want for however long you want. Many have rejected the packages because of the admin fees, the daily fee and so on. Some consumers are choosing to spend their funds on one-off capital items like a piece of equipment to support their independence, or a new air conditioner, or washing machine, or choose to use taxis rather than the Provider's transport. These services may offer little, or in some cases no margin to providers. This is Your Choice...
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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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DISTRIBUTION OF HOME CARE PACKAGE LEVELS
There are four levels of home care packages to help meet the different levels of care needs, which are determined by the outcome of an aged care assessment.
How much does the government contribute?
The Australian Government pays a different subsidy amount for each level of Home Care Package. The government subsidy for each package level is as follows:
Home Care Package level Approximate yearly government contribution
Level 1 $9,000
Level 2 $15,750
Level 3 $34,250
Level 4 $52,000
* The government contribution increases each year. These figures are rounded.
The government contribution is paid directly to the home care provider you choose. You work in partnership with the provider to determine the care and services required, within the package budget. The funds won’t affect your pension because they don’t count as income.
Read more about further funding supplements your providers may be able to access.
The basic daily fee changes in March and September each year in line with the age pension.
From 20 March 2020, the basic daily fee by Home Care Package level will be:
Package level Per cent of the single Daily fee Fortnightly fee
person rate of basic age pension
Level 1 15.68 $9.63 $134.82
Level 2 16.58 $10.19 $142.66
Level 3 17.05 $10.48 $146.72
Level 4 17.50 $10.75 $150.50
Providers can ask you to pay a basic daily fee. Use the Find a provider tool to see if your chosen provider will collect this fee.
"However, the changes since 27 February 2017 created a more significant and larger scale disruption than the impact ridesharing application Uber is having on the taxi industry, the CEO of the sector’s largest private provider has said. Jason Howie, KinCare CEO Jason Howie, CEO of KinCare, described the end of the Aged Care Approvals Round and allocation of home care places direct to consumers as the “mother of all disruptions.” He said the importance and impact of the changes on the industry could not be overstated, as services will now be made to compete for customers in an open marketplace."
Organisations will move from competing for a small pot of annual growth funding allocated by the government to a market system where any eligible customer with an approved package was up for grabs. A focus on compliance and contract outputs would shift towards customer experience and meeting consumer expectations, he said. “While we weren’t penalised for delivering a bad experience in the past, we certainly will be in the future, in a big way, and I would not be surprised to see a significant migration of clients from one organisation to another in response to that.”
Since 27 February 2017, Mr Howie said organisations would no longer be protected in terms of the numbers of packages they held and over time only those services delivering a quality customer experience would thrive.
Priority queue
Since 27 February 2017 there is now a new way to manage access to Home Care Packages. There is now a national pool of all available packages. After assessment you will be placed in a ‘prioritization queue’ until a HCP becomes available to you.
Your place in the national 'priority queue' will be determined by your personal needs and circumstances and the time you have been waiting for care. Please note the once given a Package, you have 56 days (with the option of an extension of 28 days) to take up a package with your chosen Provider before it is withdrawn. If you are feeling uncertain about approaching a Provider, you can ask My Aged Care to send an electronic referral through the provider portal.
A new readiness letter is being introduced to prompt clients on the national queue to prepare to receive their first home care package.
This letter will be sent to clients around 90 days before the expected assignment date of their first home care package. It is intended to improve awareness of the Home Care Packages Program and commence initial steps to make an informed choice about their care needs, such as finding an approved provider and undertaking a formal income assessment with the Department of Human Services.
It will also encourage people who do not want care now to opt themselves out of the queue before the package is assigned to them. ACATs who have elected to receive home care notifications on behalf of vulnerable clients will receive a notification of this correspondence.
It is important to note that this letter is not indicative of a client’s package assignment, but provides an indication of when they can expect to be assigned their first home care package (either approved or interim).
What this all means...click here to a more in-depth explanation.
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After you have discussed and signed your Home Care Agreement with your provider, they can then spend the funds on the items you both agreed to in the Home Care Agreement.
The Aged Care Gateway provides a standardised National Assessment Service to identify your care needs. Where an initial screening has determined that a client is likely to require access to Commonwealth-subsidised aged care services, you will be assessed to determine your needs and the priority you should be accorded.
1st February 2016 - Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACATs) began using My Aged Care to conduct comprehensive assessments and send electronic referrals to providers for residential care, transition care and home care packages, with Queensland the first region to fully transition to the platform. New South Wales teams will transition on Thursday with the other states and territories following over the next six weeks finishing with South Australia on 15 March 2016, according to the Department of Health.
Under Consumer Directed Care (CDC), you will determine the level of involvement you would like to have in managing your own package. You will be provided with a personalised budget so that you can see how much funding is available for services and how the money is spent. Each month your Service Provider must provide you with a Statement detailing the expenditure on your behalf. Do check this carefully, and Do ask if you don't understand anything. Your Service Provider will be happy to help you understand the various $ charges.
Note: The Maximum Basic Daily Fee for a Home Care Package for Home Care is $10.63 per day, from 1 January 2020.
Do be aware that Providers are able to charge administration costs to cover items such as government quality and reporting requirements, organisational overheads, capital costs, developing statements and establishing contracts with subcontractors.
Case management and advisory fees can be charged on top of admin charges and will vary depending on the level of involvement of the consumer and their carer.
Figures from Better Caring Pty Ltd (submitted to the recent Senate inquiry) are presented which show that under the existing model for level 4 Consumer Directed Care (CDC) packages (10–12 hours’ care a week), direct care staff receive just 34 per cent of the annual total cost of $48,906 paid for the package. The remaining 66 per cent is consumed by administrative and case management fees and by the provider’s margin on the services delivered.
There are four levels of Basic home care subsidy (per annum).
These rates are applicable from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020.
The Department of Health has released the new Aged Care Subsidies and Supplements New Rates of Payment from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020.
· Home Care Level 1 – $24.07 per day - helps people with basic care needs. From here the client can be referred to aged care services, proceed to a Level 2 assessment or, where necessary, be fast tracked to Level 3. Your Fee Maximum if income below $27,284.40 p.a. Level 1 provides approximately 2 hours per week (on average).
· Home Care Level 2 – $42.35 per day builds on the Level 1 assessment, - helps people with low level care needs, similar to the previous Community Aged Care Package. From here the client can be referred to aged care services or continue to a Level 3 comprehensive assessment. Your Fee Maximum if income below $27,284.40 p.a. Level 2 provides approximately 3-4 hours per week (on average).
A person is eligible to receive home care at level 1 or level 2 only if:
- the person is assessed as having needs that can only be met by a coordinated package of care services,
- the person is assessed as requiring a low level of home care,
- the person prefers to remain living at home,
- the person is assessed as being able to live at home with the support of home care at level 1 or 2, and
- for a person who is not an aged person, there are no other care facilities or care services more appropriate to meet the person's needs.
· Home Care Level 3 – $92.16 per day - helps people with intermediate care needs. Your Fee Maximum if income below $27,284.40 p.a. Level 3 provides approximately 7-9 hours per week (on average).
The contact centre will have the capability to directly undertake Level 1 and Level 2 assessments over the phone and to arrange a face to face assessment in circumstances where a phone based assessment is not appropriate. All comprehensive assessments (Level 3) will continue to be undertaken face to face.
· Home Care Level 4 - $139.70 per day - helps people with high care needs, similar to the previous Extended Aged Care at Home package
- a package, similar to the previous Extended Aged Care at Home (EACH) package. Your Fee Maximum if income below $27,284.40 p.a. Level 4 provides approximately 10-13 hours per week (on average).
A person is eligible to receive home care at level 3 or level 4 only if:
- the person is assessed as having needs that can only be met by a coordinated package of care services,
- the person is assessed as requiring a high level of home care,
- the person prefers to remain living at home,
- the person is assessed as being able to stay at home with the support of home care at level 3 or 4, and
- for a person who is not an aged person, there are no other care facilities or care services more appropriate to meet the person's needs.
Levels are Not interchangeable. However, you can accept a lower Level whilst waiting for your assessed level. eg. If you have been assessed by ACAT as being a Level 4, you can accept a Level 2 in the interim until a Level 4 becomes available for you. ie. You can still stay on the national 'priorisation queue'.
There is no need for a separate EACHD package as the Dementia and Cognition Supplement is available across all four package levels. If you were previously receiving an EACHD package, you will be automatically eligible for the Dementia and Cognition Top Up Supplement:
Eligibility - for consumers who were in receipt of an EACHD package on 31 July 2013 $2.77
If you have additional needs, supplements are available to make sure you receive the care you need:
- Dementia and Cognition Supplement - These rates are applicable from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020:
Level 1 $2.77
Level 2 $4.87
Level 3 $10.60
Level 4 $16.07
- Veterans' Supplement for veterans with service related mental health conditions accepted by the Department of Veterans' Affairs
- Oxygen Supplement for people with an ongoing medical need for oxygen
- Enteral Feeding Supplement for people who need enteral feeding on an ongoing basis.
These supplements are available with any of the four levels of Home Care Packages. If you are eligible, your home care provider will receive some extra funding to make sure you receive the care you need. You do not need to apply for these supplements. Your Home Care Provider will apply on your behalf, or in some cases, the supplement will be paid automatically to your provider.
Looking at having your loved one take Respite in a Nursing Home?
Hint: Explain to your loved one that YOU "Really Need to Know" what is going on in the nursing home... This way, it is a 'Very Important Task' that you are asking them to do For You :-)
. Daily Residential Respite Subsidy Rates:
The maximum daily fee for a respite resident is set by the Government at 85 percent of the single basic Age Pension. This is currently $843.60 per fortnight and 85 percent of this is $717.06 per fortnight or $51.21 per day. Because the stay is temporary, you don't have to pay an accommodation charge or bond.
More information: 22 January 2020
Residential respite care recipients. The provider receives an amount of residential respite subsidy and supplement based on whether the care recipient is eligible for low or high level residential respite care.
Respite access in Home Care Packages:
People with dementia who have higher care needs can access support through Government subsidised Home Care Packages.
All Home Care Packages are delivered on a consumer-directed care (CDC) basis.
To receive Respite access in Homes Care Packages, you will need to be assessed and approved from an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT). This is organised through My Aged Care (1800 200 422, https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/. This means that you have choice and control about what services you access as part of your package, according to your goals and needs. Respite services may be provided as part of a package if you choose it.
Approval for Home Care packages
SOCIAL DOMAIN - A gauge of social isolation/loneliness and a typical measure of perceived support from family, friends and neighbours.
- Informal support network / carers
- Community access
- Social isolation
- Financial support
MEDICAL DOMAIN - Addresses overall health and wellbeing including health and mental health conditions, disability, nutrition, and oral health.
- Medical conditions
- Medication management
- Nutrition
- Skin integrity
- Continence
PHYSICAL DOMAIN - A key determinant of independence in activities of daily living and a contributing factor to overall health status and quality of life. It includes mobility, i.e. the ability to stand, sit, walk, turn, transfer and climb.
- ADL - includes activities such as: o Toileting o Dressing o Bathing o Eating, and/or o Ability to transfer and mobilise with/without an aid.
- IADL - includes instrumental activities of daily living such as: o Shopping o Preparing meals o Travel in the community o Housework, and o Managing finances.
- Falls risk
- Pain
- Sensory - Consistent with the NSAF, sensory refers particularly to issues with: Vision Hearing, and Speech.
PSYCHOLOGICAL DOMAIN - This domain includes:
o Cognitive impairment
o Capacity for decision-making
o Depression
o Dementia
o Behaviour
o Delirium, and
o Judgement and insight
- Cognition
- Behavioural management issues
COMPLEXITY/ VULNERABILTY DOMAIN - This domain refers to measurable characteristics of a client’s circumstances that may relate to service provision and the urgency of any interventions. Complexity and vulnerability includes factors such as homelessness, risk of abuse, emotional/mental health issues, difficulty communicating, and/or certain demographic indicators e.g. veterans, Aboriginals, Torres Strait Islanders, living in rural/remote areas etc.
- Case management
- Elder abuse
- Drug and alcohol
- Mental health
- Accommodation
ACATs might include a doctor, nurse, social worker, occupational therapist or physiotherapist. ACATs help older people and their carers work out what kind of care will best meet their needs, provide information on suitable care options and can help arrange access or referral to appropriate residential or community care services such as Home and Community Care.
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Since 27 February 2017, Levels are not be broad-banded ie. if ACAT assess you as a Level 4, you would not be able to access Levels 1, 2 or 3. However if you NEED care but cannot find a Provider at your ACAT level, you may be offered a lower Level in the meantime.
- A person can be approved as eligible for more than one type of care at the same time. However, you can only accept one at any one time e.g. transitional care, short-term care, home care, residential care...
- Medical Needs can also be considered in assessing a person's eligibility for Home Care and Flexible Care - similar to residential care.
Be aware that this Will Not affect your place in the My Aged Care national 'prioritisation queue' ie. when a Level 4 does becomes available, you will be contacted with the name of the Provider/s and you can contact them yourself if you want.
Guide to Aged Care Law - Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Increasing Consumer Choice) Bill 2016
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2016B00019
Residential Care and Home Care Frequently Asked Questions:
https://www.health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/residential-aged-care
08 May 2020
Who can access advocacy services?Anyone receiving or looking to receive Australian Government funded aged care services can use an advocacy service, including people who:
- live in an aged care home
- receive transition care
What Help is Available
Therapy services
Low intensity therapy to help you recover sooner and safer:
- physiotherapy
- occupational therapy
- podiatry
- dietetics
- speech pathology
- counselling services
- social work, connecting you to wider community support
- social activities such as lifestyle, cognitive, and general exercise programs.
Clinical care carried out by a registered nurse:
- pain management
- wound care
- oxygen therapy
- medication assistance
- dementia support
- catheter care
- on-call access to specialised nursing services.
Personal assistance with everyday tasks:
- bathing, showering, personal hygiene and grooming
- maintaining continence or managing incontinence
- eating and eating aids
- dressing, undressing, and using dressing aids
- moving, walking, wheelchair use, and using devices and appliances designed to aid mobility
- communication, including addressing difficulties arising from special conditions, such as dementia.
- have previously received an aged care service
- are helping someone who is receiving aged care services.
- https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/advocacy
- To find out more about advocacy services and how to access them, visit the OPAN website, or call 1800 700 600.
- If you have a disability, you can also find someone to help you through the National Disability Advocacy Program (NDAP).
How do I find a home care service provider?
The Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) team can refer you to home care service providers in your local area. They might also give you a list of all the home care service providers in the area. If you want you can do your own research at www.myagedcare.gov.au or you can phone 1800 200 422.
New standardised home care pricing Schedule
To improve transparency for senior Australians, all home care providers will need to publish their pricing information in a new standardised pricing comparability Schedule (the Schedule) on the My Aged Care Service Finder.
Indexation rates for Residential Aged Care and Home Care Packages and Maximum Permissible Interest Rate (MPIR) changes
20 March 2020 "Another key source of confusion is around the mandated requirement by government that all approved providers must publish the prices they charge for certain common care and services in a standard format on My Aged Care, she says."
“Administration and Case Management are no longer separate categories and the model of charging a percentage of a home care package for these is no longer possible,” Ms Poulos says."
“There are two new categories – Package Management and Care Management – that have very clear definitions and requirements to validate charges made to a consumer’s package of care."
“Providers will also be required to attach to the Notice a copy of their full price list or a link to the full price list on their own website."
“Government has indicated that compliance with the new legislation will be monitored for ‘reasonable’ charges however there is no real guidance about what would be considered as ‘reasonable’.“
02 July 2019
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TO COMPARE $ PRICES in Home Care
From 1 July 2019 home care providers need to publish their prices in a new standardised home care pricing Schedule on the My Aged Care website. This transition to the new pricing structure may be an opportune time to analyse their current pricing policies and determine if they (the Provider) need to change their prices.
The Schedule will provide information on the common services and costs under a home care package.
This will better support senior Australians to understand and compare home care pricing information, and make a more informed decision about which provider is best placed to deliver your care.
01 July 2019
WHAT TO DO...
STEP 1: https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/find-a-provider
STEP 2: Click on "Help at Home"
STEP 3: Select your Suburb
STEP 4: Click on "Home Support Services" to get a list of Providers
OR “Home Care Package” Level 1, 2, 3 or 4
You can then click on the Providers name for their details
OR Just click on COMPARE – up to 3 at a time
and COMPARE ONE PROVIDER $ AGAINST ANOTHER... Just scroll down.
Changing providers -
You can change home care package providers if:
- you move to another area
- you're after a better fit
- you require particular services that your current provider doesn't offer.
Before you make the decision to change providers you should check your Home Care Agreement so you know if there will be any conditions such as notice periods and exit amounts.
When you research new providers you should compare the provider’s fees with those of your current home care provider for items such as administration of the package and case management.
You are looking at:-
Case Management - approximate number of hours per fortnight
- Fully funded by Provider
- Self-managed by YOU
Price for Common Services - shown as $ per hour
- Personal Care
- Nursing
- Cleaning and Household tasks
- Light gardening
- In-home Respite
Other costs:
- Package management
- Staff travel costs to visit you
- Separate cost when you want to receive services from a different Provider
- Maximum Exit $ amount
It's quite an Eye-opener!!!
You can find a new home care package provider by using the service finder or you can call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and they will help you find a provider.
Once you have found a new provider you will need to contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 to re-activate your referral code. You need this referral code to give to your new provider before you can start receiving their services.
Your current service provider must help you to change providers. You should discuss your plan to change providers with them and agree with your current provider the date you want your care and services to end.
When you have agreed an end date with your current provider, you have 56 days from the end date to enter into a Home Care Agreement with a new provider.
If you do not enter into a Home Care Agreement by this time, your home care package will be withdrawn and you will not be able to use your referral code.
The start date with your new provider must be after the end date you have agreed with your old provider and the dates cannot overlap.
Q: Can the level of services under a Home Care Package be reduced when the full income-tested care fee is not received?
A: No, the level of services cannot be reduced.
For a consumer who started receiving a Home Care Package on or after 1 July 2014, the subsidy and primary supplements payable by the Government are reduced by the maximum income-tested care fee payable by the consumer. The overall value of the package remains the same; what varies is the source of the funds.
Example 1 – Adam
The Government subsidy and primary supplements of Adam’s home care package is valued at $30,000 (in addition to the basic daily fee) and Adam has been assessed by the Department of Human Services as being able to contribute $10,000 towards his income-tested care fee. The Government subsidy payable for Adam’s care to his provider is the value of the Home Care Package less Adam’s income-tested care fee (that is, $30,000 - $10,000 = $20,000).
Adam’s provider asks Adam to pay the income-tested care fee as advised by the Department of Human Services. Adam’s provider must provide him with services reflecting the full package valued at $30,000.
If Adam’s home care provider does not collect the full income-tested care fee (regardless of the reason) the home care provider is still required to provide Adam with services as if the fee had been paid in full. That is, the home care provider and Adam cannot select a lower level of care and services to match the reduced value of the Australian Government subsidy paid.
The amount of basic daily fee charged has no impact on the amount of Government subsidy and primary supplements that are paid.
If Adam fails to meet his responsibilities, including the payment of fees, as described in Schedule 2 - Charter of care recipients’ rights and responsibilities – home care of the User Rights Principles 2014, his home care provider may cease to provide home care to that him under the security of tenure provisions in subsection 17–2(e) of the User Rights Principles 2014. Adam’s Home Care Agreement must contain information such as the maximum fees payable by him and the conditions under which either party may terminate the provision of home care.
Example 2 – Emily
The Government Subsidy and Primary Supplements of Emily’s Home Care Package is valued at $20,000 (in addition to the basic daily fee) and Emily has been assessed by Department of Human Services as being able to contribute $5,000 towards her income-tested care fee. The amount of Government subsidy payable for Emily’s care to her provider is the value of the Home Care Package less Emily’s income-tested care fee (that is, $20,000 - $5,000 = $15,000).
If Emily does not pay the income-tested care fee or Emily’s provider does not collect an income-tested care fee, Emily’s provider must still provide her with services reflecting the full package valued at $20,000 and not services reflecting the amount of Government subsidy paid ($15,000).
Administrative process
https://agedcare.health.gov.au/aged-care-reform/residential-care-and-home-care-frequently-asked-questions
16 July 2019
Q. What is the administrative process for assessing income?
A. In Home Care, the amount of income tested care fee payable is determined by the consumer's income. Similar to the current process in residential care, Centrelink or DVA will assess a person's income. Centrelink will calculate the amount of income tested fee payable and notify the care recipient and provider. The Government will reduce its subsidy based on the amount of income tested fee payable.
Consumers on an income support payment need not submit an income assessment form, as Centrelink and DVA will already have access to this information.
Self-funded retirees who do not receive income support from Department of Human Services or DVA will need to submit an income assessment form, or will be assessed to pay the maximum fee payable.
Q. How will the collection of fees work in home care?
A. Providers can determine their own collection process as they currently do for basic daily fees. Providers cannot charge fees more than one month in advance.
Centrelink will notify the provider and care recipient of the maximum income tested care fee and basic daily fee payable, it is up to the provider whether they charge a care recipient the maximum amount or a lower amount.
Q. What happens if a consumer is having trouble paying their fees?
A. The consumer can apply for financial hardship assistance through Department of Human Services.
Q. Is financial hardship assistance available for consumers in home care?
A. Yes. The new arrangements introducing hardship provisions for home care are part of the 1 July 2014 reforms relating to the strengthening of the income tested fee arrangements for persons commencing a home care package from 1 July 2014. Under these arrangements a consumer will be able to apply for financial hardship assistance with both the basic daily fee and/or income tested care fee. The new hardship arrangements do not apply to persons already receiving a home care package on 30 June 2014.
Consumers receiving a home care package before 1 July 2014 will not be affected by the strengthened income tested fee arrangements unless:
- they ceased their home care package and then enter into a new home care package more than 28 days later; or
- upon moving to a new service provider opt-into the new arrangements.
Section 95 of the Subsidy Principles 2014 sets out a number of considerations which either must or may be considered when Department of Human Services is assessing someone's application for financial hardship.
If you believe you would face financial hardship in paying the required fees and payments, you can ask to be considered for financial hardship assistance. Each case is considered on an individual basis.
You should apply for financial hardship assistance as soon as you experience financial difficulties. Department of Human Services consider financial hardship applications from the date your application is received by them. They may backdate the application if there are special circumstances.
If you are applying for financial hardship assistance with your fees and charges in Home Care, or Residential Respite Care you need Form SA462
https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/forms/sa462
10 July 2019
Use this form and guide to test your eligibility to receive financial hardship assistance with your fees and charges in Home Care, or Residential Respite Care - this is assistance for the Basic Daily Care Fee.
Note: This assessment is NOT relevant for permanent Residential Aged Care. To apply for financial hardship assistance for your permanent residential aged care fees and charges, please use a Claim for Financial hardship assistance for Residential Aged Care form (SA461).
10 February 4040
When you submit the financial hardship assistance form, you will need to provide written evidence of your:
- aged care costs
- essential expenses, and
- unrealisable assets, if applicable
You will be asked to provide your asset details when you complete the relevant financial hardship assistance form, if you are:
- a Home Care recipient who receives a means tested income support payment, or
- a self-funded retiree who does not receive a means tested income support payment
If financial hardship is granted, the Government will pay a hardship supplement of an amount determined in each individual case.
For more information on fees and charges call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or visit myagedcare.gov.au
1 July 2019
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Aged Care Quality Standards
The Department of Health will introduce the Aged Care Quality Standards from 1 July 2018 to replace all previous standards. They will apply to all Commonwealth aged care services including residential care, home care, flexible care and services under the Commonwealth Home Support Program.
Assessment will continue against current applicable standards, with assessment against the new Standards in effect from 1 July 2019. Further information is available on the Quality Agency website.
with many thanks to the Brisbane South PHN supported by funding from the Australian Government under the PHN Program bsphn.org.au All Carers and the people they care for should know of these welcome changes. Thank you.
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The new Aged Care Quality Standards are here!
On 1 July 2019, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission began assessing and monitoring quality of care and services against the Aged Care Quality Standards. The Commission has a range of resources available for download to support service providers and their consumers to understand the Quality Standards.
Please note: the Quality Standards resources are not available for hard copy order.
Access Quality Standards resources >
Finding an Accreditation Report on a Home.
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My Aged Care is constructed with full recognition of the value of linking the client record with the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record.
The introduction of a central client record will make it easier to share information, and reduce the need for consumers to tell their story time and time again.
17 December 2021
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