Information for aged care providers

Aged Care Sector Support and Development

The Aged Care sector is currently preparing for legislative and regulatory changes that will impact Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) and Home Care Package (HCP) service providers in the near future.

The new Support at Home program is currently in the design phase, with an entirely new Aged Care Act that will be central to the proposed sector changes. The new Act is currently being drafted and is estimated to be completed by January 2024.  

New technology around Government systems, payment portals and regulated pricing will be a major part of the reforms. Changes will also include how service providers enter the sector, the obligations that a provider must meet, and strengthened monitoring for the Aged Care Regulator.

In May 2023, the Commonwealth Budget announcement provided funds for the design, build, implementation and sustainment of the Information & Communications Technology (ICT) functions necessary to enable the new Support at Home Program - which has now been postponed to ‘go live’ on 1 July 2025. CHSP provider funding arrangement extensions are in process.

Also of note in the Aged Care reform space:

  • The Australian Government committed to funding the Fair Work Commission’s 15% aged care workers award pay rise.
  • The Aged Care Taskforce will be established to review aged care funding arrangements for the creation and maintenance of a high quality and sustainable aged care system - which will likely also establish the client contributions toward the cost of care services.
  • The Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority (IHACPA) will undertake pricing/costing research activities to develop service unit prices for the new Support at Home Program.
  • A Consultation paper Details of the Proposed New Model (PDF) and Summary (PDF).
  • Your feedback can be provided via multiple channels (workshops, online survey, email) until 23 June 2023. For more detail visit Aged Care Engagement Hub.

If you are an Aged Care Service Provider requiring more information about the current reforms, please forward your queries to Community.Care@mornpen.vic.gov.au

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