How we’re improving Home Care Package charges

Important changes are coming to Home Care Package charges on 1 January 2023. The changes will bring more transparency to how providers charge and set limits on care and package management prices.

The aim is to reduce excessive charges and improve your ability to compare prices between providers.

If you receive a Home Care Package, the below article outlines what the changes are and how this impacts you.

What is changing?

From 1 January 2023 there will be set limits on what providers can charge you for care and package management.

In addition, providers will no longer be able to charge you:

• exit charges
• additional costs for third-party goods or services
• package management charges in a month (except for the first month of care) where you do not receive services other than care management.

For details about the above changes, see the Home Care Packages Pricing Update fact sheet on the Department of Health and Aged Care website.

How does this affect your Home Care Package?

Most Home Care Package providers already charge less than the new limits for care and package management. If this is the case with your provider, you won’t see changes to these charges.

However, if your provider is charging above the new limits, they will need to reduce their prices from 1 January 2023.

Some providers may need to adjust their pricing models to remove exit charges and additional costs for third-party goods or services. This may mean there are some reasonable increases in service charges. But it ultimately ensures that you only ever pay the published price – with no hidden charges.

What do you need to do?

If your provider needs to lower their care and package management charges, they must let you know. You do not need to do anything to receive these lower charges.

If your provider increases their prices, they must seek your consent before doing so. You have the right to understand all charges and what they mean.

Your provider must clearly explain their price increase, including:

• what is changing
• why it needs to change
• what the new price will include
• when the new price will start.

Learn more

For more information about these changes and what to do if you have concerns, see the Home Care Packages Pricing Update fact sheet on the Department of Health and Aged Care website.