The Albanese Government has worked hard over the past 3 years to transform our aged care system for the better. One of the biggest changes we have been working on is the new rights-based Aged Care Act 2024. This includes Support at Home-our new program for in-home aged care services.
I want to speak directly to existing home care recipients about what they can expect in the coming months.
From 1 July 2025, Support at Home will replace the current Home Care Packages program. Under Support at Home, you will have better access to services, products, equipment, and home modifications to help you remain healthy, active, and socially connected to your community. This includes three new pathways: the End-of-Life Pathway, the Restorative Care Pathway and the Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) Scheme.
You may notice that some of the prices of your services change under Support at Home. This is because the prices will reflect the entire cost of delivering services, including administration charges. The amount of care management that will come out of your package has been reduced from 20 per cent to 10 per cent. And unlike now, no additional fees or charges will come out of your package under Support at Home.
We have given providers clear guidance and put protections in place to make sure the prices they charge are reasonable and transparent. You can find out more here.
So, what's next? The Department of Health and Aged Care will write to you directly in early April to provide more information about what you need to do before Support at Home starts. Before 1 July 2025, your provider will contact you about what you need to do to transition to Support at Home. You will need to sign a new service agreement with your provider which sets out the care you will receive and the prices you will be charged from 1 July 2025.
Talk to your provider and ask them to explain their prices to you under the Support at Home program. If you're not happy with their explanation, remember that one of the first things we did when we came to government was to ban exit fees, so you can change providers at no cost. Alternatively, you can make a complaint to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
From 1 July, the new Aged Care Act and Support at Home program will usher in a new era for aged care - one that prioritises your rights and ensures you have services that are tailored to your needs, including the assistive technology, home modifications and pathways you need to remain supported in your own home.
