The Australian Government department's 148-page 'Consultation Draft' on the aged care Rules for Chapter 4 of the new Aged Care Act were released during the week after a first Draft was published in September last year.
The latest documents, 'Consultation Draft Aged Care Rules 2025' and 'Consolidated Draft Rules Relating to Funding Public Release Supporting Document', represent Stage 2b of the Government's consultation on the Rules.
They factor in feedback gained through consultation from Stage 2a, which also related to the Rules for Chapter 4, and are themselves open to consultation for four weeks.
Stage 1 of the Government's consultation was the release of the Draft Service List. Read the feedback here.
Tranche 3 of the Rules are expected to be released in February, according to a Department of Health and Aged Care webinar held last week.
The latest release relates to Chapter 4, the section of the Act that relates to funding, and details reforms such as the ‘no worse off’ principle for people already accessing aged care services.
While "most" of the rules for Chapter 4 are in the Draft, the department is "still finalising" key aspects of the Rules - only five months from the date of implementation - including the new retention amounts for Refundable Accommodation Deposits and the indexation applied to a Daily Accommodation Payment.
Last week in The Weekly SOURCE, we reported the Aged Care Transition Taskforce, in its third meeting, addressed the "criticality" of the timing of the release of the Rules.
Aged care CEOs we have been speaking to about the upcoming Federal election have also expressed concern about the timing of the release of the Rules, with Anne McCormack, CEO of mecwacare, telling us finalising the provisions must be a Government priority.
Read the Draft Rules for Chapter 4 here.
Read the Supporting Document here.
Read the timeline for consultation on the Aged Care Rules here.
