Assisting Households - Reforming Aged Care
The Federal Government will deliver landmark changes to the aged care system, to ensure older Australians have more choice and higher quality care.
People have overwhelmingly said they want to age well in their own homes, so with the $3.7 billion Living Longer, Living Better package more people will get to stay in their home for longer.
The Government is increasing the number of Home Care Packages by two thirds.
Contributions for Home Care will also be reformed to make them more equitable from 1 July 2014. Nobody in the system prior to that time will pay more, and full pensioners will continue to pay no more than the basic fee.
For those who need to move into residential aged care, they will have more choice about how they pay.
Contributions for residential care will be made more equitable and sustainable, with reforms to commence on 1 July 2014 to apply to new or significantly refurbished facilities.
People will be protected by an annual cap on care fees in residential care and a lifetime cap on care fees across both residential and home care.
