Published 22 June 2023 | Updated 6 July 2023

As you may know, the Australian Government is committed to delivering reforms to in-home aged care. 

In line with the Government’s recent announcements, we are sharing some upcoming changes to Home Care Package subsidy rates and Afea’s service fees.

What We Know

• The Government has committed to providing a 15% wage increase to all aged care workers. Your HCP subsidy will increase by 11.9% from 1 July 2023 to cover the cost of the wage rise and other increases in prices.
• This 15% wage increase applies to eligible employees covered by the Aged Care Award, Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry (SCHADS) Award and Nurses Award.
• This 15% wage increase is separate from the 5.75% increase to Award minimum wages.
• You can find more information in this Letter to Home Care Package recipients about wage subsidy increase.
• Effective 1 January 2023, providers must charge no more than 20% of the package level for care management and no more than 15% of package level for package management. (Read our update.)

What’s Changing

Effective 1 July 2023,

• Our Home Care Package prices will be updated to align with the Government’s 2023-24 subsidy rates for Home Care Packages
• Afea’s Care Management Fee will be 13% of your package (3% increase)
• Afea’s Package Management Fee will be 12% of your package (2% increase)

Whilst we need to reasonably increase the cost of supports, we also equally understand the importance of our services in your lives, hence this increase that takes into account related business overheads in providing our services. 

Despite this increase, Afea is proud to confirm our prices remain competitive. Other major care providers are charging a weekday fee of $86 compared to Afea’s $76.21.

Our care management fees also remain among the lowest in the industry. While other major care providers are charging up to 17% of their clients’ package level for care management, we are only charging up to 13%, freeing up a larger percentage of your package to spend on the services and products that you need.

View the Afea Price Guide for Home Care Packages

Should you have any questions about these upcoming changes, or if you’d like to know more about our aged care services, please feel free to reach out to our team!

A previous version of this article contained outdated information. It has since been updated.