Making a complaint

You have the right to provide feedback or make complaints about the information or service you receive from My Aged Care.

Your first step is to contact My Aged Care. Your options are:

1. Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and report your concerns. If the issue is not resolved on the call, you will be given a complaint reference number to track the progress of your complaint. Use this reference number for any future communication with My Aged Care. This is the quicker option.
2. Send your complaint by post to My Aged Care Complaints, PO Box 1237, Runaway Bay, QLD 4216. You should receive a call from My Aged Care within 10 to 14 business days of the complaint being received. A complaint reference number will be provided at this time.

Not satisfied with the outcome? 

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, send an email with the details of your complaint and reference number to myagedcaresupport@health.gov.au. 

If you don’t agree with the assessment outcome outlined in your Notice of Decision letter, you have the right to challenge it. You can contact the assessment organisation to discuss any issues you have with their decision. The contact details are provided in your Notice of Decision letter. 

Not satisfied with the outcome?

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the assessment organisation, you can ask for a review of the decision, free of charge. You can do this by writing to the Secretary of the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. In your letter, outline why you think the decision should be changed. Your letter must be sent to the Secretary within 28 days of receiving your Notice of Decision letter.   

Postal address:  
The Secretary 
Department of Health, Disability and Ageing 
Attn: Aged Care Assessment Program Reconsiderations 
GPO Box 9848 
ADELAIDE SA 5001

Still have concerns? Ask for a second review

If you don’t agree with the outcome of the Secretary’s review, you can go to the Administrative  Review Tribunal, but there will be a charge. Find out more on the Administrative Review Tribunal website.

You have the right to express your concerns about the experience or outcomes of your assessment. For example, you might have had to wait very long for your assessment. Or maybe you have concerns about how your assessment was done.  

Contact your assessment organisation to discuss your concerns and ask for their help to resolve the issue. They will have their own complaint process you will need to follow. The contact details for your assessment organisation are provided in your Notice of Decision letter.

Not satisfied with the outcome?  

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422. 

Services Australia can tell you how much you will contribute towards government-funded Support at Home services or a place in an aged care home. To do this, they use your income and asset information. They will then send you a letter to tell you how much you will contribute towards your aged care costs.

If you have a question or concern about the calculation of your aged care costs, you should contact Services Australia. You can also book an appointment with an Aged Care Specialist Officer.

There are a number of ways you can provide feedback about the service you received from Services Australia. Find out how to provide complaints and feedback.

If you receive a means tested payment from the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA), you should contact DVA. 

You have the right to make a complaint about any aspect of the care and services you receive from an Australian Government-subsidised aged care provider.  

You may be concerned about the quality of your care, how you are treated by staff, the accuracy of your invoices or the choice of activities provided by your aged care provider. Whatever your concern may be, the first step, if you feel comfortable, is to contact your provider directly.  

Discuss your concerns with them to see if they can help resolve your issue. Every provider has their own complaint process to follow.

Not satisfied with the outcome? 

If you’re not satisfied with your provider’s response, you can make a complaint to the Complaints Commissioner in the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission online or by calling 1800 951 822. Anyone can make a complaint and the service is free. You can complain anonymously, confidentially or openly. You can contact the Complaints Commissioner even if you haven’t spoken with your provider first. 

If you are still not satisfied with the outcome or the handling of your complaint after following the relevant complaint process, you can contact the Commonwealth Ombudsman. 

Visit the Commonwealth Ombudsman website for more information or call 1300 362 072.

If you have concerns about elder abuse, there are a few options available: 

• Call the free national helpline 1800 ELDERHelp (1800 353 374) to talk to someone about potential or actual elder abuse. This service provides information on how you can get help, support and referrals.
• Visit the Attorney-General's website for more information on protection against elder abuse and how you can get free support from lawyers, social workers and other specialists.
• Visit the Compass website for information, a support directory, and resources about elder abuse.
• Contact your local state and territory helpline for information about abuse and abuse prevention, as well as useful contacts and options for getting help.

State and territory helplines for elder abuse and abuse prevention 

If you suspect that someone is engaging in fraud while delivering or receiving an aged care service, you are strongly encouraged to report this to the department. An example of fraud may include receiving a bill from your provider for an aged care service you didn’t receive. You can report suspected fraud by: 

• completing the Report suspected fraud form on the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website
• calling the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing Fraud Hotline on 1800 829 403, from 9am to 5pm AEST, Monday to Friday, or
• emailing the details to reportfraudorcorruption@health.gov.au.

For more information about fraud and how to report it, visit the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website.