Better health and ageing for all Australians

Aged Care Assessment Teams

Aged Care Assessment Team Reassessment Requirements

This document explains the circumstances when a reassessment by an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) is, and is not necessary.

In this section:

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Aged Care Assessment Team - Reassessment Requirements

This document explains the circumstances when a reassessment by an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) is, and is not, necessary.

It is important to note this information is divided into two categories that set out the requirements for people that are approved and:
    • Have Not received care; and
    • Have received care

Care Not Received

Acat Approval

Is Reassessment Required?

The client is approved for:
    • High level residential care
No* – unless the approval is time limited, in which case it will expire on the date specified.
The client is approved for:
    • High level residential respite care
    • Low level residential respite
No* - unless the approval is time limited, in which case it will expire on the date specified.

Yes – if a person’s approval is limited to a low level of care and they require high level care.
The client is approved for flexible care in the form of:
    • Extended Aged Care in the Home (EACH)
    • Extended Aged Care in the Home Dementia (EACH D)
No* - unless the approval is time limited, in which case it will expire on the date specified.
The client is approved for:
    • Low level residential care
    • Community Aged Care Package (CACP)
Yes – if care was not provided within 12 months starting the day after approval.
OR
Yes – if their care needs change.
OR
Yes - if the approval is time limited, since it will expire on the date specified.
The client is approved for:
    • Transition Care
Yes – if care is not provided within 4 weeks beginning the day after the approval date.
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Care Received

ACAT Approval

Is Reassessment Required?

The client has entered:
    • High level residential care
No
The client has entered:
    • Low level residential care
Yes – if there is a break in care of more than 28 days (excluding approved leave) outside the 12 month lapsing period.

Yes - if the first ACFI results in a High Level classification and the provider wishes to claim a high care ACFI subsidy rather than the interim low subsidy.

No – if the resident has aged in place as follows:
  • An ACFI reappraisal is conducted that results in a High Level classification (e.g. on expiry of an existing classification, or a voluntary reappraisal following a transfer, or following a major change in care needs) or
  • a Departmental Review Officer confirms the resident’s ACFI classification during a classification review.
Yes – on transfer if the resident has aged in place and wishes to pay an accommodation charge to the new home rather than rolling over an existing bond.
The client has received:
    • Low level residential respite care
    • High level residential respite care
No
The client has commenced an episode of:
    • Transition care
Yes – if there is a break in care of at least one day (excluding an overnight stay in hospital) after the 4 week entry period.

No – if the client enters hospital from transition care for longer than an overnight stay, concludes their hospital episode and re-enters transition care (from hospital) within the 4 week entry period.

Yes – If the person is only approved as eligible for transition care they may need a reassessment and approval for the appropriate aged care service(s) to meet their long term needs.

Yes – A Transition care episode can be extended from 84 days up to a maximum of 126 days. An ACAT reassessment may be needed if the delegate is not satisfied with information about the care recipient's further transition care needs supplied by the service provider in the Transition Care Extension Form**
The client has commenced a:
    • Community Aged Care Package (CACP) Package
    • Extended Aged Care in the Home (EACH) Package
    • Extended Aged Care in the Home Dementia (EACH D)
No – if care was received on or after 20 March 2008, approvals for these types of care will not lapse.

*Approvals for these types of care made up to and including 30 June 2008 automatically lapsed after 12 months (if they were not time limited to expire earlier). This remains the case for low level residential care and community aged care packages.

** A new approval on an aged care client record is not required for an extension of transition care.


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