Home Care – Legislation changes – Pre and Post 1 July 2019
Continual changes to the Home Care model have left providers "stressed out," according to a recent Community Care Review article. This side-by-side comparison shows exactly what changed on 1 July 2019—from administration fees to pricing schedules—so you can see the full picture at a glance.
I read an article in the Community Care Review published 2 July 2019 titled "Stressed-out providers struggle to keep up with change" and understand the pain as there have been continual changes to the Home Care model from inception.
The following table shows "what was" compared to "what is" from 1 July 2019:
| What's changed | Pre 1 July 2019 | Post 1 July 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| Administration Fee | Calculation based on % Home Care Package | No longer Applicable |
| Package Management Fee | Not Applicable | Fortnightly $ fee, calculation based on the cost of managing the package which may include: preparing the monthly consumer statements; managing package funds; and compliance and quality assurance activities |
| Case Management Fee | Calculation based on % Home Care Package | No longer Applicable in this format |
| Care Management Fee | Not Applicable | Fortnightly $ fee, calculation based on: whether Fully/Self-Managed; reviewing the Home Care Agreement and care plan; coordination and scheduling of services; ensuring the care is aligned with other supports; providing a point-of-contact for the home care recipient or their support network; ensuring care is culturally appropriate; identifying and addressing risks to the home care recipient's safety |
| Pricing Schedule | Didn't have to publish on My Aged Care or provide to the consumer | The schedule will include: the 5 common home care service categories including Personal Care/Nursing/Cleaning & Household Tasks/Light Gardening/In-home Respite; a single price for the most common services. If you contract services out to other providers, you can include a minimum and maximum price taking into account the various charges from your contractors. Unit Pricing may include an Administration charge made up of costs such as marketing, office rent, insurance etc |
| Per Kilometre Fee | Didn't have to publish on My Aged Care or provide to the consumer | Publish Fee on My Aged Care if you charge the consumer for staff travel to/from their place. If you contract this out, you will include a minimum and maximum price. |
If you are interested in discussing your consumer on-boarding to make the process more efficient and less costly, contact Debra Baxter via the Care Collaborator web page: www.carecollaborator.com.au, email debra@carecollaborator.com.au or mobile 0438 020 728.