Policy & Legislation
Aged care waitlist drops 53,000 due to interim funding counting change
Policy & Legislation
Aged care waitlist drops 53,000 due to interim funding counting change
Policy & LegislationPricing & Funding
HelloCare · 4 min read · 3 hours ago
Original source
Summarised by Stellar
Key points5 points
- Over 90% of new home care package recipients are started on interim funding at 60% of their assessed amount, with an average 10-week wait for full funding.
- Recipients are removed from the official waitlist as soon as interim funding begins, even though they haven't received their full approved care level.
- The official waitlist of 100,191 understates the true number waiting (153,909) by more than 53,000 people.
- Interim funding is not backdated or reimbursed, meaning providers and recipients absorb the shortfall for weeks or months.
- Aged care minister Sam Rae denies any change in waitlist calculation, but the new rule took effect on November 1 alongside Support at Home reforms.
Summary
The government's aged care waitlist has fallen by over 53,000 people, not because care is delivered faster, but because the counting method changed. Since November 1, over 90% of new home care package recipients start on 60% of their approved funding, and are removed from the official waitlist immediately. Full funding can take up to five months, with no backdating. This masks the true scale of unmet need and has drawn criticism from aged care advocates. Providers should anticipate continued funding gaps and plan accordingly.