General Medical issues thread

[Flyfrequently]

Thanks @Quickstatus a very informative summary.
Probably one to keep on file for our children should they have to navigate this!

 

[Quickstatus]

informative summary.

Likely going to be out of date before too long.
But maybe it provides a framework to search for up to date info

 

[Fifa]

Great explanation thank you @Quickstatus.
The whole aged care system is a minefield

 

[Quickstatus]

The whole aged care system is a minefield

Then there are changes to Aged Care in the home
Previously called Home Care Packages
Now called Support at Home Program to assist people staying at home

An ACAT assessment is required including a means test

There are 8 levels with funding attached
Level 1 $10000
Level 8 $78000


The level of co contribution depends on the type of care:
Medical related care 0% co contribution
Independence related care up to 50%
Everyday living care up to 80%

Your at home care is given a budget which is split up into quarters. With that you can access services as recommended by the assessment with accredited providers who might charge different fees.

Yes very complicated

 

[MARTINE]

Then there are changes to Aged Care in the home
Previously called Home Care Packages
Now called Support at Home Program to assist people staying at home

An ACAT assessment is required including a means test

There are 8 levels with funding attached
Level 1 $10000
Level 8 $78000


The level of co contribution depends on the type of care:
Medical related care 0% co contribution
Independence related care up to 50%
Everyday living care up to 80%

You care given a budget which is split up into quarters. With that you can access services as recommended by the assessment with accredited providers who might charge different fees.

Yes very complicated

QS - you have a unique skill set being medical and good at aged care funding.
You could set up a lucrative retirement career given the demographics in forthcoming years and the demand for knowledge. Simultaneously give advice to the family and then treat their (justified) anxiety going through the process. I am being (almost) serious here

 

[love_the_life]

Then there are changes to Aged Care in the home
Previously called Home Care Packages
Now called Support at Home Program to assist people staying at home

An ACAT assessment is required including a means test

There are 8 levels with funding attached
Level 1 $10000
Level 8 $78000


The level of co contribution depends on the type of care:
Medical related care 0% co contribution
Independence related care up to 50%
Everyday living care up to 80%

You care given a budget which is split up into quarters. With that you can access services as recommended by the assessment with accredited providers who might charge different fees.

Yes very complicated

One thing to remember is that Support at Home participants can only have one provider who will deliver their services either directly or through third parties. The participant pays an admin fee to the provider for care management. We often see correspondence from people who think that they will receive their funding directly to spend as they wish.
Quickstatus you are obviously well versed in the aged care system

 

[Quickstatus]

Quickstatus you are obviously well versed in the aged care system

Only because mum and dad went through the process.

The AusGov does not explain it clearly with all the info in one spot, although it is improving. It does require sitting down and reading a lot

The support at home has been expanded which hopefully will assist with people ageing at home (this also reduces cost to the taxpayer). Correct, the funding is not a money in the bank to spend on whatever.

good at aged care funding.

I suspect the aged care consultants and support at home provides know much more.
What I know is just scraped from the Governemnt websites which are easy to find.

 

[tgh]

Folks spend most of a lifetime with a financial adviser helping tham to be financially independent, and what is left seeking help to survive a bureaucratic nightmare.
There clearly needs to be a system to cope with the flood of oldies, but the system seems to be more about skimming us than securing a graceful exit.

 

[tgh]

Sometime I will have to do the sums on utilising the care system in some form or spending the ski fund on private arrangements.
A powerful incentive for the ski slope is being able to make decisions absent the heavy breathing of bureaucracy and lowest common denominator services...

 

[MARTINE]

Only because mum and dad went through the process.

The AusGov does not explain it clearly with all the info in one spot, although it is improving. It does require sitting down and reading a lot

I did it too but it has been expunged from my memory as something I never want to recall again

 

[ellen10]

Its almost frightening contemplating aged care in the future and the right fit.
Both of our sets of parents have passed on now. And none of them moved into aged care facilities.

It must be so hard for those who do not have strong family advocates.

 

[Quickstatus]

but the system seems to be more about skimming us than securing a graceful exit.

The biggest hollow log that the government is accessing belong to the self funded retirees.
Expect the contribution from these people only increase over time

Actuaries say the average length of stay in NH is 1.7 years. You can see it in how aged care fees are constructed.

RAD - used to be 100% refundable, now it is l5% is deducted per year for 2 years max
I can't imagine that they would not over time increase the cap to 3,4,5,x years for those long stayers and or increasing the % that can be deducted from the rAD

Similarly for the means test fee, Used to be lower with a max lifetime cap of $86,000 which was usually reached in 2.5 years.

Now the max means test fee has increased substantially. One section the hoteling contribution is capped at $22.15 per day no lifetime cap and the non clinical care contribution section has a lifetime cap of $137917

Self funded retirees will be paying substantially moving forward.....

More also that Services Australia looks back up to 5 years when you do your means test assessment if self funders think they can give away their assets before they enter a NH. Gifted assets in excess of $30k in the 5 years prior to application are considered Deprived assets and counted in the means test assessment.

Maybe @tgh should just put that $ in the ski fund and just spend it.??