Home Care Package Changes 2023 - What's New?

Home Care Packages are government-funded aged care services for senior Australians and younger people with special needs.

Even though the Australian Government introduced Home Care Packages with the Aged Care Act of 1997, the program is constantly improving.

In this Home Care Package Changes 2023 guide, we'll give you a quick rundown of what's new in the Home Care Package system in Australia.

A Little bit about Home Care Packages

A Home Care Package (HCP) is an aged care program intended for older people who need assistance completing everyday tasks to continue living independently in the comfort of their own homes.

These residential aged care services are funded by the Australian Government, which allocates funds to HCP providers. The funds are based on the HCP level and the individual care needs of the care recipients.

There are four HCP levels:

Level 1 for basic care needs
Level 2 for low-level care needs
Level 3 for intermediate-level care needs
Level 4 for high-level care needs

Are there any Changes to Home Care Packages in 2023?

These are some of the changes to Home Care Packages made by My Aged Care in January 2023:

Home Care providers now have set limits on how much they can charge for Home Care Package management.
There are no more exit fees.
HCP providers aren't allowed to charge additional costs for third-party goods or services.
If the care recipients don't receive services other than care management, HCP providers won't be able to charge package management fees in a month (except for the first month of care).

HCP providers aren’t allowed to charge more than 20% of the assigned Home Care Package to care management. Any provider who imposes excessive charges, or any other fees mentioned above, will have to reduce their prices.

For more information about Home Care Package changes 2023, please visit the Department of Health and Aged Care website.

The goals of Home Care Package changes made in January 2023 include:

Making aged care more accessible to older Australians and their families
Eliminating hidden costs
Improving the client's ability to compare prices between providers
Making the entire pricing process more transparent

The Support at Home Program

As part of the aged care system's reform, the Australian Government plans to introduce the Support at Home program. This new program is being developed according to the needs of older Australians and in consultation with community stakeholders.

There isn't much information about the Support at Home program yet, but we do know that it will include new assessment tools.

The new program will begin in July 2025. Until then, the Home Care Packages (HCP) program and the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) will continue until 30 June of 2025.

What Won't Change?

Even though there have been some changes to Home Care Packages lately, there are some factors that will remain the same for now. These include:

Eligibility
The application process
The types of services provided

In terms of eligibility, these services will still be available to older Australians over the age of 65 (50 for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people), who need help completing daily tasks and younger people with special needs.

The application process doesn't have any changes either. The older individual still has to go through an income assessment and get tested by an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT), after which they will go through a waiting period before being assigned to a provider.

The services provided still include basic health needs, personal care, meal preparations, home modifications, and so on.

Choose the Right Provider

Haisey Home Care is an approved provider that offers quality services to those who need it most. Unlike other providers, we have never offered an exit fee or hidden fees to begin with. That's because we're focused on providing our clients with the support they need to live comfortably in the safety of their homes. Reach out to us if you have any questions.