A Department of Health and Aged Care webinar this afternoon attracted so many viewers, key speaker Nick Morgan, Assistant Secretary Support at Home with the Department of Health and Aged Care, dropped out of the session several times while presenting. The session attracted nearly 500 questions.
The webinar provided key details of Support at Home reforms, which providers have been anxiously waiting for as the 1 July 2025 implementation date draws nearer.
8 Support Classifications
One of the key announcements in the webinar was that Support at Home will have eight Support Classifications with funding ranging from an estimated $11,000 for Classification 1 to $78,000 for Classification 8 (see main image). The final dollar amounts when Support at Home comes into effect from 1 July 2025 may differ from these.
The new rates compare with the current Home Care Packages, which range from a Level 1 HCP of $10,000 to a Level 4 HCP of $60,000.
Support at Home consumers will have access to $6,000 for a Restorative Care Pathway (20,000 places per year), $25,000 for a End-of-Life Pathway, as well as additional funds for Assistive Technology and Modifications, which can be used at capped amounts.
10% care management
The 10% cap for care management fees drew several questions, considering it halves the existing 20% cap for package management.
Nick said, "We believe some of the care management fees that are being levied today are being used for things like scheduling and rostering which will be covered [in Support at Home] by the administrative loading and prices across all services.
"The second point is that this [Support at Home] care management funding will be pooled. When someone needs more, the provider can provide more. Where someone needs less, a provider can provide less. It's not 10% tied to that funding being spent on that individual client.
"We think that flexibility will help providers to manage across their cohort."
He said indicative prices range from about one hour a month per person up to around six hours a month per person at the top classification level.
The webinar heard the Department is pledging that consumers will have to wait no longer than three months to receive services by July 2027.
Key documentation out later this year
Next week, the Department expects to release a Support at Home "handbook", with a more detailed "manual" to be "finalised" by the end of November.
The much-awaited list of "high level" price caps will be released in November, with more detailed figures available in February 2025.
