Receiving your assessment outcome

Your eligibility determines the next steps you’ll need to take to start receiving support.

Assessment outcome – next steps

Your next steps depend on the information you have received from your assessor and the type of services you are eligible for. You may have received your assessment outcome letter and support plan, or you may still be waiting for them. 

You may also want to give feedback, request a review or make a complaint if you’re not satisfied with your assessment outcome. Find out what to do next depending on your current situation.

I received my assessment outcome and support plan in a letter

Your assessment outcome and support plan and will also include the information you need to access these services.

For detailed next steps, select the program below that is listed in your support plan:

• Commonwealth Home Support Program
• Support at Home (including ongoing home support, Restorative care, End-of-Life Pathway and AT-HM Scheme)
• aged care home (ongoing residential aged care)
• residential respite care (short-term residential aged care)
• transition care
• National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program
• Multi-Purpose Services Program

I haven’t received my assessment outcome and support plan

After your assessment, the assessment organisation will review your information to determine if you are eligible for services. This can take up to 2 weeks, depending on the needs identified in your assessment.

Waiting for an answer can be a concerning time. There are support options if you are wondering who to talk to or if you need urgent care.

• You can check the progress of your assessment by logging into your My Aged Care Online Account or calling My Aged Care on 1800 200 422
• If you are an older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person, an Elder Care Support worker could help with each step of the assessment process and throughout your aged care journey. Find out more about Elder Care Support.
• If you need emergency respite care in your home or in the community, contact the Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737.

I’ve been assessed as not eligible

If you aren’t eligible for government funded aged care, you will receive a letter from your assessment organisation explaining why.  

There are other options available.

• If you’re not eligible for services, you may want to consider aged care providers that aren't government-funded.
• If you are under 65 years old, you may want to explore your eligibility with the National Disability and Insurance Scheme (NDIS). You can do this through an NDIS Access Request. Call NDIS on 1800 800 110 (toll-free) for more information.

Some people decide to use fee-paying services. If you decide to use a fee-paying service, we’ve put together some tips and recommendations to keep in mind. Learn more about fee-paying services.

If you don’t agree with your assessment outcome

If you have any questions about the assessment process, including the decision:

• Discuss your concerns with your assessment organisation. You can find their details in your assessment outcome letter. You can have a friend, relative or other support help with this if you wish.
• Request a review of the decision free of charge. To do this, you must:
  
  • write to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing within 28 days of receiving your assessment outcome letter
  • request an internal review by filling out the Request for an Internal Review of a Decision form and submit it by email or by post, or
  • write a letter to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing to ask them to review the decision(s). Information about how to do this is included in your Notice of Decision.

A family member, friend or registered supporter can also write on your behalf and request an internal review.

If you request an internal review, a reviewer in the department will check whether any of your responses in the Integrated Assessment Tool were entered incorrectly. They may also request an assessor undertake a new supplementary assessment. 

Within 90 days, the department will let you know if the original decision is upheld or a new decision is made.

I’d like to provide feedback or make a complaint about my assessment outcome

If you would like to give feedback or have concerns about your assessment process, or don’t agree with your assessment outcome, find out how to make a complaint.

How to track your assessment progress and documents

You can view your aged care information and check the progress of your assessment by logging into your My Aged Care Online Account. You can find your:

• support plan
• assessment result letters
• aged care service referral details.

Note: If you told your assessor that you want your support plan available in your My Health Record, you and your doctors will be able to see it there. You can change your mind at any time by calling My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and requesting for it to be shared or removed.

If you are an older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person, an Elder Care Support worker could help you track the progress of your assessment and understand information you receive.

If your aged care needs have changed since your assessment

You can apply for a Support Plan Review.

During your Support Plan Review, a trained needs assessor will speak to you about your care needs. They will decide whether to make changes to your existing Support Plan (for example, adding access to an additional service category) or refer you for a full reassessment.

Read more about when to get a support plan review or reassessment.

If there has been a significant change in your circumstances

You can be referred by a trained needs assessor for a full reassessment. The reassessment may determine that you need a higher classification or priority classification. It may also determine whether you need another type of care, like residential aged care, restorative care or end-of-life care.