Your Aged Care Update # 42/24
Notable dates
Aged Care Financial Report due
31 October
Provider operations reporting due
31 October
Webinar: High risk weather season
4 November
Star Ratings provider preview
Closing soon
In this issue
News about the reforms
Webinar: Aged care award wage rise implementation
We are hosting a webinar to support providers with the implementation of the Fair Work Commission Stage 3 aged care award wage increase.
When: Monday 18 November, 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm (AEDT).
The webinar will focus on government funding to support implementation of the Stage 3 wage rise and what providers need to do to, including information on:
residential aged care funding
subsidy increases in the Home Care Packages program
Commonwealth Home Support Programme funding
Historical Leave Liabilities
accountability.
Provider finance information updated
We have updated residential and home care provider finance information on the My Aged Care website to reflect the Quarter 4 (2023–24) Quarterly Financial Report.
Providers previewed the new information before publication to ensure it is accurate.
We publish this information to:
create a more transparent aged care sector
help people make informed decisions when choosing a provider
allow providers to compare their performance against the sector and identify opportunities for improvement.
Sector news
Quarterly Financial Report due soon
A reminder to providers to submit their Quarterly Financial Report for Quarter 1 2024–2025 (1 July to 30 September).
Please complete by 4 November through the Government Provider Management System (GPMS).
For technical support, please call the My Aged Care service provider and assessor helpline on 1800 836 799 and select option 5.
More information is available on the Quarterly Financial Report and GPMS resources pages.
Survey: Decide what content we should add to KeepAble
KeepAble is a free online platform for aged care providers with research-based resources. It can help you improve client results, support their wellness and help them regain their abilities.
We are expanding KeepAble and building new resources as part of the Aged Care Data and Digital Strategy. We want to know what you need and how you prefer to access information.
Complete the online survey now. It will take less than 5 minutes.
The survey closes on 11 November. All participants can enter a draw to win a gift voucher.
myGovID is changing its name to myID
The Australian Government's digital ID app, myGovID, is changing its name to myID.
There’s a new name and look, but you can use the app in the same way to securely log into government services online. This includes the Government Provider Management System (GPMS), the Aged Care Gateway and My Aged Care Service and Support Portal.
Find out more.
Residential care
Webinar: 3 new staffing quality indicators
We are hosting a webinar for residential aged care providers on the introduction of 3 new staffing quality indicators. These are focused on enrolled nursing, allied health and lifestyle officers.
When: Tuesday 3 December, 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm (AEDT).
We will discuss:
the 3 new staffing quality indicators
what data you will need to collect and report
when you will start collecting and reporting this data
how we will help you prepare for this change.
Indexation of approved refundable accommodation deposits
The My Aged Care service and support portal has new functions to help providers who choose to index their approved refundable accommodation deposits (RADs).
Residential aged care providers with rooms priced over $550,000 can annually index their approved RADs in line with inflation.
Section 29 of the Fees and Payments Principles 2014 (No. 2) explains how and when you may index an approved RAD. You can apply indexation annually from your approval anniversary date. After 4 years, you must apply to the Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority for a new approval to charge more than the maximum amount.
Learn more.
Reporting residents’ refundable deposit balances
We are changing how we collect and check aged care residents’ financial information as part of the Aged Care Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 before Parliament.
Under these changes, from 1 January 2025, you will need to report individual residents’ refundable deposit balances in your monthly claim form.
We will use this information to keep residents’ means assessments up to date. This will help ensure they are charged the correct fees, while reducing backdated changes to fees and subsidies.
Any fee increases will apply from the date the means assessment is updated - they won’t be backdated.
This change will help strengthen means assessments ahead of the new Aged Care Act.
We will publish more information as it becomes available later this year.