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Home Care Package FAQs

To assist senior Australians with living independently in their own homes, the Australian Government has created the Home Care Packages Program. This program allows senior Australians to receive the care they need, from the services they choose, for as long as they choose to, in partnership with care providers.

The Australian Government will assess your eligibility for a Home Care Package through an ACAT assessment. If you are deemed eligible, you will be allocated a Home Care Package once one is available. You must then work in partnership with your chosen provider to choose the services that work for you with the yearly government funds you have been allocated.

Alisonh   10 January 2022  

You will be assigned a Home Care Package once one becomes available. After completion of your ACAT assessment, you will be placed into the National Priority System if you are deemed eligible for a Home Care Package. This priority system considers your need for care determined in your assessment, as well as the date you were approved for a Home Care Package.

For a level 1 Home Care Package, estimated wait times are 3-6 months, with higher level packages having estimated wait times of 9-12 months.* A more specific estimate of your wait time can be found through your My Aged Care Client Portal.

If you have been determined as eligible for a higher level package, you have the option to accept a lower level package as soon as one becomes available, as well as the option to access CHSP services. Acceptance or non-acceptance of a lower-level package or CHSP services will not impact your expected wait time – it simply allows you to access basic care services sooner.

See our guide on the National Priority System for more information on when you will get your home care package.

*These estimated wait times are not exact and are based off 2021 Australian Government Department of Health Data

Alisonh   11 January 2022  

Home care package providers receive a yearly subsidy from the government based on the Home Care Package level that you have been assigned, which is then used to budget your care plan.

Level Needs Level Typical Visits Subsidy
Level 1 Basic care needs Once or twice a week $10,271.10
Level 2 Low care needs Three or four times a week $18,063.85
Level 3 Intermediate care needs Most days of the week $39,310.50
Level 4 High care needs Daily $59,593.55

 

This subsidy is the same level for all providers – see Home Care Package Levels Explained for more information on the services you can receive at each level.

Alisonh   11 January 2022  

The exact number of care hours you receive will depend on your designated Home Care Package level and the types of services you require. The table below gives an estimate on the number of care hours you will receive for each level and your chosen package.

Level Self-Managed Self-Managed Plus
1 4 weekly hours 3 weekly hours
2 7 weekly hours 6 weekly hours
3 14 weekly hours 12 weekly hours
4 21 weekly hours 19 weekly hours

 

Your dedicated care manager will set out your specific weekly hours of care with you during your care plan meeting.

Alisonh   11 January 2022  

Each home care package has a different level of funding to meet different care needs. If your situation changes and you need additional services to meet your care needs, you should contact your provider. Your provider will review your care plan and review options for getting you more support, and will determine if a reassessment is required.

Alisonh   11 January 2022  

You can change Home Care Package provider at any time – simply call your current provider to cancel your service with them, then visit your My Aged Care Portal to reactivate your referral code and use it for your new provider. If you don’t want to speak to a provider, you can call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.

Switching providers shouldn’t have to be stressful – follow our 5 Steps to Switch Home Care Package Providers for a seamless transition.

Alisonh   11 January 2022  

A referral code is a unique code (starting with 1- ) that you will receive in your outcome letter if you are deemed eligible for a Home Care Package following your ACAT assessment. You can also call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and ask for your referral code.

This code allows a provider to access the important ACAT assessment information that they will use to develop your personal care plan. Giving this referral code to a provider does not require you to sign up for their services. Without this code, a provider will not be able to assess your unique circumstances or access your Home Care Package funding on your behalf.

If you are changing providers your referral code will need to be reactivated before it can be used at your new provider. To reactivate your referral code, you must call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.

Alisonh   11 January 2022  

The National Priority System is the Australian Government system that allocates Home Care Packages to eligible Australians. This system considers your need for care determined in your ACAT assessment, as well as the date you were approved for a Home Care Package. This system will allocate you a Home Care Package when one becomes available. You can find an estimate of your wait time at your My Aged Care Client Portal.

If you need more information, check out our guide on the National Priority System.

Alisonh   11 January 2022