Important information about 1 August 2013 changes underthe Living Longer Living Better Aged Care ReformPackage
This message provides informationon aged care reform components that start on 1August 2013. These include:
- The Home Care Packages Program
- The Dementia and Cognition Supplement
- The Dementia and Severe Behaviours Supplement
- The Veterans’ Supplements
- The Workforce Supplement in all remaining eligible programs (the Workforce Supplement for eligible approved providers ofresidential care and eligible Multi Purpose Services commenced on 1 July 2013)
- Increased powers for the Aged Care Commissioner
- Extended coverage of the Community Visitors Scheme.
Important information about these changes isprovided below.
Home Care Packages Program
From 1 August 2013, a new Home Care PackagesProgram will replace the existing Community AgedCare Packages (CACPs), Extended Aged Care atHome (EACH) and Extended Aged Care at HomeDementia (EACHD) packages.There will be four levels of home care, with allnew packages (including those allocated toproviders in the 2012-13 Aged Care ApprovalsRound) to be delivered on a Consumer DirectedCare basis.
New supplements (referred to below) will applyto all package levels where the relevant eligibility criteria are met. From 1 August2013, the existing Oxygen and Enteral FeedingSupplements will also be available at allpackage levels where there is a clinical needfor these services.
HomeCare Packages Program Guidelines
Following a public consultation process, final Home Care Packages Program Guidelines are nowavailable on the Home Care Packages Program pageon the Living Longer Living Better website.The Guidelines include important information forproviders about Home Care Packages, includingthe transitional arrangements from the former CACP, EACH and EACHD packages. The Guidelinesare relevant to all Home Care Packages, whetherdelivered on a Consumer Directed Care basis ornot.
Further information about the Home Care PackagesProgram and Consumer Directed Care is availableon the Living Longer Living Better website. Thisincludes: a summary of changes; fact sheets for consumers, including existing CACP, EACH or EACHD consumers; and frequently asked questions.To view these documents or to find out more, seethe Home Care Packages Program page on theLiving Longer Living Better website.
Dementia and Cognition Supplement, the Dementiaand Severe Behaviours Supplement and theVeterans’ Supplements
From 1 August 2013, new supplements will beintroduced to provide additional financialassistance to Approved Providers caring forpeople with cognitive impairment in home care,severe behaviours and psychological symptoms inresidential care, and mental health conditionsassociated with service accepted by theDepartment of Veterans’ Affairs in both caresettings.These include:
- The Dementia and Cognition Supplement in Home Care
- The Dementia and Severe Behaviours Supplement in Residential Care
- The Veterans’ Supplements in Home Care and Residential Care for service related mental health conditions.
The supplements also apply to a range of otherprograms. Further details about the supplementsthat apply to each of these programs is providedin the Eligibility Guidelines.
Eligibility Guidelines
Following a public consultation process, finalEligibility Guidelines for the Dementia andCognition Supplement in Home Care, the Dementiaand Severe Behaviours Supplement in ResidentialCare and the Veterans’ Supplements are nowavailable on the Dementia and Veterans’Supplement page on the Living Longer LivingBetter website.The Guidelines include important informationabout eligibility, assessment requirements, howto apply, and payment arrangements.
Further information about the Supplements isavailable on the Living Longer Living Betterwebsite. This includes: frequently asked questions; and fact sheets.To view these documents or to find out more, seethe Dementia and Veterans’ Supplement page onthe Living Longer Living Better website.
Commencement of the Workforce Supplement
The Aged Care Workforce Supplement commencedfrom 1 July 2013 for eligible approved providersof residential care and eligible Multi PurposeServices. The Supplement will be available toall other eligible programs from 1 August 2013.
Up to $1.1 billion is available through the AgedCare Workforce Supplement - part of theAddressing Workforce Pressures Initiative.It aims to improve the aged care sector’scapacity to attract and retain a skilled andproductive workforce, and provide funding toassist the sector in delivering fair andcompetitive wages. Funding will be provided toaged care providers that meet the eligibilityrequirements, as outlined in the WorkforceSupplement Guidelines.
An Aged Care Workforce Development Plan willalso be developed in 2013 in consultation withthe sector.
Workforce Supplement Guidelines
Following a public consultation process, thefinal Workforce Supplement Guidelines areavailable on the Aged Care Workforce Supplementpage on the Living Longer Living Better website.The Guidelines include important informationabout eligibility, commencement dates, how toapply, payment arrangements, and compliancerequirements.
Further information about the WorkforceSupplement is available on the Living LongerLiving Better website including Frequently AskedQuestions. To view these documents or to find out more, seethe Aged Care Workforce Supplement page on theLiving Longer Living Better website.
Aged Care Commissioner - Additional Powers
From 1 August 2013, the Aged Care Commissioner's(the Commissioner's) powers will increase toenable the Commissioner to:
- Direct the Department of Health and Ageing's Aged Care Complaints Scheme (the Scheme)
- To undertake a new complaints resolution process taking into account the Commissioner's views following an examination of the Scheme's decision
- Comment on the draft findings of the Scheme's new resolution process
- Provide a report directly to the Minister if dissatisfied with the response of the Scheme in undertaking a new resolution process
- Require the Scheme to provide any information requested by the Commissioner relevant to the matter under examination.
Further information regarding the changes can befound on the Building a System for the Futurepage on the Living Longer Living Better website.
Community Visitors Scheme
The Community Visitors Scheme will continue toprovide social support to older people inresidential care at risk of social isolation.From 1 August 2013, these services will beexpanded to include group visits in residentialaged care and to people receiving Home CarePackages.
2012-13 Aged Care Approvals Round
The 2012-13 Aged Care Approvals Round (ACAR)results were announced on 5 July 2013.A total of 13,610 new aged care places will beallocated across Australia with an estimatedannual recurrent funding value of over $505million.The new places comprise 7,775 residential agedcare places (5,247 high care and 2,528 low care)and 5,835 Home Care Packages.
For further information on the results of theACAR, please visit the Aged Care Approvals Roundpage of the Department of Health and Ageingwebsite.
New Australian Government subsidies andsupplement rates – 1 August 2013
A full list of Australian Government subsidiesand supplements effective from 1 August 2013 isavailable on the Current Australian Governmentsubsidies and supplements page on the Departmentof Health and Ageing website.
My Aged Care
Next week, the Department will send anelectronic package of information to aged careservice providers and peak bodies, to providedetails on: how to update their organisation's details on the My Aged Care website; how to update their organisation's website/s to direct people to My Aged Care; and communication support materials to help inform your staff and clients about My Aged Care.