Issue #24
Information for Aged Care
Providers
Changes to Provisionally Allocated Places
A nationally consistent approach to managing provisionally allocated residential aged care places is being
implemented, anticipated to take effect in late 2015. The new approach will decrease red tape by reducing
the reporting burden associated with provisionally allocated places. The changes involve:
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increasing the timeframes for provisionally allocated places to reflect the business realities of
getting these places operationalised;
limiting periods of extensions to two 12 month extensions; and
only granting a further extension under exceptional circumstances for places that remain non operational six or more years after allocation.
The Department has written to Approved Providers identified as having long term provisionally allocated
places to discuss action being taken to start delivering care in these places, and any additional extensions
that may be required to achieve this. If Approved Providers have not received their letter they should
contact their State/Territory Office of the Department or phone 1300 653 227.
2015 Aged Care Approvals Round
Minister Fifield has announced the opening of the 2015 Aged Care Approvals Round (ACAR), with existing
and prospective providers of Australian Government-funded aged care encouraged to apply. The
application period opened on Saturday 15 August 2015 and will close on Friday 25 September 2015.
Applications are invited from new and existing Approved Providers for :
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10,940 residential aged care places;
6,045 home care places; and
capital grants of up to $67 million, which includes approximately $11.5 million to support access to
residential aged care for older people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities.
The Essential Guide, application forms and the Questions and Answers for the 2015 ACAR are available
for download from the Department’s website at http://www.dss.gov.au/2015ACAR. Guidance material to
assist in the submission of competitive ACAR applications for the provision of aged care for people from
CALD backgrounds is also available from the Department’s website at www.dss.gov.au/CALD. If you have
any questions regarding the forms, have difficulty in submitting the forms or need any other assistance,
support is available for 2015 ACAR applicants through email to ACAR@dss.gov.au.
Level of services to be provided under a Home Care Package when the
full fees are not received
The Department has received a number of enquiries regarding home care packages and the level of
services provided when the full fee has not been received. 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.
If the home care provider does not collect the income-tested care fee, or collects a lower income-tested
care fee than the maximum they could charge (regardless of the reason), the home care provider is still
required to provide the consumer with services as if the fee had been paid in full. That is, the home care
provider and consumer 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. A provider is only required to provide services to the value of any basic daily
fee that is actually charged.
If a consumer fails to meet their 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, a
home care provider may cease to provide home care to that consumer under the security of tenure
provisions in subsection 17–2(e) of the User Rights Principles 2014. The Home Care Agreement must
contain information such as the maximum fees payable by the client and the conditions under which either
party may terminate the provision of home care. Further information is available on the Department’s
website at http://www.dss.gov.au/resihomecareFAQs under the heading ‘Home Care’.
What is the Aged Care Sector Committee?
The Aged Care Sector Committee (the Committee) provides advice to Government on aged care policy
development, implementation and guides future changes to the aged care system. The Committee also
acts as the primary mechanism for consultation between the Australian Government and the aged care
sector. Membership of the Committee includes representatives from peak bodies, for -profit and not-for
profit providers, consumers, carers and workforce.
Further information on the Aged Care Sector Committee can be found on the Department’s website at
www.dss.gov.au/acsc. Any questions in relation to the Committee should be forwarded to the Secretariat
at AgedCareSectorCommittee@dss.gov.au.
Five steps to accessing a home care package publication available
The Department is pleased to advise the Five steps to accessing a Home Care Package publication is now
available. It provides a clear, step-by-step guide for consumers and carers, explaining how they can access
support in the home, through a coordinated Home Care Package.
The publication is available on the Department’s website at www.dss.gov.au/homecarepackages, and is
also available to order via National Mail and Marketing (NMM) by emailing dss@nationalmailing.com.au
and quoting the publication title and reference number (DSS1631.06.15).
August 2015