Frequently
Asked Questions

Once you has been assessed as requiring a certain level of care, a funding package is paid so that the participant can access care through a care provider. The aged care provider needs to be approved by the government, although changes may be made to this structure under current reform considerations. In summary, the process to obtain a HCP is: Recipient registers with My Aged Care and is triaged Recipient & ACAT complete Comprehensive Aged Care Assessment Eligible recipients join the national priority system Recipient receives readiness letter, completes income assessment and researches providers Recipient is assigned a HCP by the national priority system and chooses a provider Recipient and approved provider enter into a Home Care Agreement Provider accepts the My Aged Care referral and notifies Services Australia of a recipient starting care Provider and recipient develop package budget and care plan.

The following provides a brief description of the types of services which can be included in a HCP.

There are different types of aged care funding which is currently being reviewed. After the aged care Commission inquiry, the government has committed to implementing changes which will assist older Australians to receive the care that they require to live independently or to receive care within aged care residences when they can no longer stay at home. Currently, aged care funding is available under 3 different models: 1. Commonwealth home support programme (CHSP) 2. Home support packages (HSP) 3. Private funding. Eligible Australians may receive support under the first two funding models to receive help at home, short term care, or care in aged care homes. Under the first two models, the government will allocate a certain amount of funding to be paid towards the care which is required. this may include care around the home, inclusion in community activities, assistance for a short period of time, or for residential care.

Your HCP budget is made up of three components: As you can see in the above, you may be required to contribute to the cost of the care, depending on your financial situation. The fees you will be asked to contribute vary but are also based on the care that you are receiving.

The difference between CHSP (The Commonwealth Home Support Programme ) and HCP (Home Care Packages) is based on the level of care which the participant requires. CHSP was set up to assist seniors who require minimum assistance to maintain an independent lifestyle. HCP is intended for people who require a greater amount of assistance and has 4 levels of care packages available.

Eligibility for government funding for aged care is based on several factors including the person’s health and age. The age requirements are that a person is aged: 65 years or older; or 50 years and older if you identify as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander; 50 years or older and on a low income, homeless or at risk of being homeless (45 years or older for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people). The health and medical requirements relate to a person’s ability to undertake everyday tasks including: getting out of bed or chairs; walking; going to the toilet; taking a bath or shower; getting dressed; eating a meal; preparing a meal; taking medicine; basic housework; driving or taking public transport; shopping for groceries; managing money and paying bills. To see whether you are eligible for an assessment for aged care funding, you can access the ‘My Aged Care - Assessment Eligibility Checker’.

For anyone living with a disability or having a family member living with a disability, the care which is available to lead a fulfilling life with helpful services is paramount! In fact, this is the reason that the Australian government set up the NDIS. However, there are certain rules regarding eligibility into the scheme which have been implemented to make the program sustainable. So, what are the key questions surrounding eligibility? As a starting point, the government has set several rules regarding age, residence status, permanency of disability, impact of disability on daily life, support requirements, and skills development to deal with the disability. You can find a detailed description of whether you are eligible for NDIS funding on the NDIS webpage – Am I eligible?

If you are not happy with the services that you are receiving, a good staring point is to inform the provider about these issues. Usually, they can be resolved by communicating your concerns to the service provider. A support coordinator can also help you to remedy the difficulties which you are encountering with your support services. If the problem cannot be remedied, they may find alternative care from a different service provider to meet your needs. The NDIA has also set up a channel for feedback and complaints which you can access on the NDIS webpage.

One of the biggest challenges that NDIS participants face is knowing what services are available to them under their plan, where to find the services, and how to make the funding in the plan cover as many services as possible. There are several options which are available to participants to find the right services, and this may vary based on the management of your NDIS funding. For some it means researching resources available on the Internet or through community groups. For those who are receiving funding for Support Coordination, it involves liaising with the support coordinator to locate the appropriate services. It is important to have a good support coordinator who knows the system and where to find the appropriate services within the set budgets of your plan. If you would like to talk to us about support coordination, you can contact us, and we would be happy to help.

The NDIS is a Commonwealth scheme which assists people with disabilities. The aim is to aide participants to maintain an independent life, gain access to the community, acquire different skills, and access healthcare to maintain a good quality of life. The scheme has been rolled out in all Australian states and is maintained by the federal government since its commencement by the Labor government on the 1st of July 2013. The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) manage is this scheme across the states. Since its inception there have been several changes. Between 2018 and 2021, the agency trialled independent assessments to reform access to the scheme. However, in July 2021 The government decided not to proceed with this reform based on much lobbying by many groups servicing the disability sector. This current government has also announced a review of the scheme on 18 October 2022, to ensure its sustainability and impact for participants.

You should contact the NDIA to report any changes to your situation. To do this, you need to complete a Change of details or change of situation form and provide any supporting documents to the NDIA.