What is a home care package?
The Home Care Packages Program helps you live independently in your own home for as long as you can. The Australian Government provides a subsidy to an approved home care provider of your choice, such as Cultura, towards a package of care. You have flexibility and choice about who delivers your care, and what services you need to improve your quality of life and well-being.Â
How do I get a home care package?
You may be eligible for a home care package if you are an older person who needs coordinated services to help you to stay in your home.
To find out if you are eligible for a home care package or any other home services, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422. The My Aged Care contact centre will ask you a series of questions to determine if you need an assessment by an Aged Care Assessment Service (ACAS).
During the assessment the ACAS will determine if you are eligible and which package level best meets your care needs. There are four levels:
- Level 1 – basic care needs
- Level 2 – low-level care needs
- Level 3 – intermediate care needs
- Level 4 – high-level care needs
You will be prioritised for care based on your assessed need. Each level provides a different subsidy amount. This amount is paid to your selected approved home care provider. The subsidy contributes to the total cost of your services and care delivery.
If you are assessed as eligible you will:
–  receive a letter of approval from My Aged Care that sets out the level of home care package you are approved to receive
- be placed in a national priority queue and will be contacted when a suitable package becomes available for you.
There may be a waiting period between the time you are approved for care and the time you are assigned a home care package. The time you wait is based on your needs and circumstances as well as the time you have spent waiting for care.
If you don’t receive an approval letter explaining your assessment outcome, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and request a copy.
What is an income assessment for home care packages?
The Government may require your home care package to be income tested and you may need to pay a care fee towards the cost of your care. This fee is different for everyone because it is based on your individual income. This fee is listed on your service providers monthly individualised budget and monthly statement for you to track your income assessed fee (if applicable) and the total of services you have received in the month.
Fee estimator for home care packages
You can use the fee estimator tool to help you estimate what fees your provider may ask you to pay. Use the income and assets checklist to help you fill in the estimator.
Fee estimator for home care packages
When a service provider offers you a home care package, they will need to work with you to develop an individual budget to fund your care plan to reach your individual goals.
The individual budget sets out the total amount of funds available and how those funds will be allocated and spent, based on your needs.
Your service provider administers the funds on your behalf.
Your home care package budget is made up of:
- Australian Government subsidy (and eligible supplements)
- income assessed fee if applicable
- Your maximum income-tested care fee (if you’ve entered into home care after 1 July 2014) which you may need to pay based on your personal financial circumstances or any other amount you’ve agreed to pay for extra care or services, not covered in your package.
All care and services provided to you through a home care package must be within your package budget, unless you make additional contributions to increase your services.
Any unspent funds must be rolled over from month to month and year to year for as long as you remain in the package.
For further information on the above topics and others visit myagedcare.gov.au
Get in touch
To find out how Cultura can help you with a home care package, contact us between Monday and Friday, 9am to 5pm, on (03) 4210 0000.
If you leave a voicemail, we will call you back that same day. Or if you find email easier, just contact us using the ‘Get in Touch’ form.