AUGUST 2017AWW.COM.AU 191
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[ Money]
1.Know how much home care funding you will receive and all the charges – including administration,
care management and termination fees – of the providers you’re considering.
2.Spread your funding across providers, so that you receive the services that are important to you.
3.You have the right to select the individual care workers who suit you and your needs.
4.You can decide the timing of service delivery, so it is designed for your convenience.Changes to home care assistance mean that more seniors can stay in their own
homes in their twilight years, saysMoney magazine founding editorPam Walkley.
S
taying put is what most of us want
to do in our later years. To live
in our own home, in familiar
surroundings and near friends, is
what 83 per cent of people over 60
said they wanted, according to a Productivity
Commission report,Housing Decisions of
Older Australians, released in late 2015.
And the good news is the government has
significantly improved home care assistance
schemes to enable older Australians to maintain
their at-home independence. It’s a win for the
ageing population, but it’s also a win for the
government as it’s cheaper to provide care for
people in their homes rather than in facilities
such as nursing homes and hospitals.
The overhaul offers more choice and is also
expected to deliver better value for money
because the funding is more transparent. From
February this year, the government started
subsidising home care directly to seniors instead
of making bulk payments to service providers,
some of which were paying themselves up
to 40 per cent of the money in fees. More
than one million Australians receive home
care packages already, and another 30,000
are expected to be rolled out this year. There
are four levels of packages, with
the highest level offering up to
$48,184 a year. So how do you
find out if you or a loved one
is eligible for a share?
Start with the government’s
My Aged Care (myagedcare.
gov.au). When you call (1800
200 422), you will be asked
questions to assess your needs.
If you are eligible, you will be
referred to an aged careHoming instinct
assessment team (ACAT or ACAS in Victoria),
who will identify if you have high or low
level needs and whether you are eligible to
receive government-subsidised services. These
services include help with meals, medication,
showering and getting to and from medical
appointments or social events.
With the recent changes, you will be able to
distribute a set amount of money directly to
the provider (or providers) of your choice,
as long as they are accredited. Savvy users
will be able to avoid providers with high fees
and afford more home care for their money.
The new rules put older Australians – or
their representatives – in the box seat to make
the key decisions regarding their care. It also
gives them the power to walk away and take
their home care package with them.
Your service provider should discuss
your specific needs with you and give you
a monthly income and expenses statement
so you know how the funds are being spent.
(SeeHow To Get The Best Deal, below.)
Exactly how much you will receive from
the government depends on your circumstances
and income. Full pensioners only pay the
basic daily fee, currently $9.97 per day. If you
have a higherincome, you will
pay a means-tested care fee plus
the basic daily fee. The income-
tested care fee is calculated at
50c per dollar of income above
$25,792 a year for a single and
$20,025 for each member of
a couple. The fee is capped at
$5208 a year for part-pensioners
and $10,416 a year for self-
funded retirees, with a lifetime
cap of $62,499.AWWHow to get the best deal
“
Savvy users
will be able
to avoid
providers
with high
fees and
afford more
home care.
”