Changes to Payment Arrangements for Home Care Packages

February 3rd 2022

The Australian Government has implemented changes to improve the payment arrangements for recipients of Home Care Packages.

The Home Care Packages program aims to help older people interact with the community and remain living independently at home. The program provides a subsidy towards a package of care, services and case management to meet individual needs.

Among the changes to the Home Care payment arrangements are:

Providers are now paid only for the care, services and goods they deliver each month to care recipients. In the past, Afea invoices clients in advance for home care services to be performed. With this change, Afea will now invoice the fees for the services in arrears.
Each care recipient now has their own Home Care Account created and maintained by Services Australia. This account will hold the care recipient’s unspent funds until needed.
From 1 January 2022, reporting on Commonwealth unspent funds will be mandatory when providers make a claim to Services Australia. This is unless providers have chosen to opt-in and draw down on unspent funds they currently hold on behalf of care recipients. Providers have the choice to opt-in until 28 February 2022.

We have written our aged care clients regarding the changes to their Home Care Packages Services Agreement with Afea, in line with the government updates.

While payment arrangements have changed, our services remain the same. We will continue to deliver safe, compassionate and high-quality home care services to our clients and support their independence.

For more information, please read the full statement here from the Department of Health. You may also watch this video (transcript is included) or read the FAQs.

If you would like to know more about our aged care services at Afea, please don’t hesitate to call us on 1300 65 11 33 or leave a message on our contact form.