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Payment Essentials August 2007

The August 2007 Payment E$$ential$ newsletter designed to keep financial officers within Residential Aged Care Services (RACS) informed of changes to all payment related forms and processes for residential aged care. It has been redesigned and renamed Aged Care Essentials.

You may download this document in PDF format:

Payment Essentials - August 2007 (PDF 430 KB)

Would you like to see an article on a particular topic?

Email the Editor at agedcare_essentials@health.gov.au or send a facsimile to (02) 6289 8595. Past issues can be accessed via our web page at: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/ageing-rescare-payessdx.htm
Editor

Australian Government Offering 20 Grants for the Establishment of Demonstration Day Respite Services in Residential Aged Care Facilities

In the 2007-08 Budget, the Australian Government committed an additional $41.2 million over four years to the National Respite for Carers Program (NRCP) for the establishment of demonstration day respite services in residential aged care facilities.

As part of this initiative, the government is now offering 20 grants for the purposes of establishing and operating a demonstration day respite service in a residential aged care facility.

The 20 demonstration sites will be operational from early 2008 and will use existing infrastructure, services and skills within residential aged care facilities to provide day respite services for the carers of frail older people. In doing so, the demonstration sites will provide carers with short-term breaks to help sustain them in their caring role and to allow them time to attend to their own needs.

In addition to increasing the range of respite options available to local carers, the demonstration sites will also provide an opportunity to evaluate new and innovative models of respite care, and will inform the government's future policy and program development.

Applications for the grants opened on 21 July 2007 and will close on 31 August 2007. Further information is available at: http://www.health.gov.au/tenders
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Resident Entry Record (RER)

Accommodation Payment segment (Bond)

On the RER providers are asked to insert the accommodation bond amount that the resident has agreed to pay.

If a pensioner has agreed to pay a bond in excess of the pensioner allowable limit (currently $132,000) he or she is deemed not entitled to receive pensioner supplement and therefore may be required to pay the higher basic daily care fee (currently $38.35 per day).

Usually, the Department of Health and Ageing pays a 'pensioner supplement' to aged care homes for pensioner residents. However, where the Department receives advice that the bond amount agreed to be paid is more than ten times the annual single age pension, this supplement is not paid, even if the resident is a pensioner. In this situation, aged care homes are permitted to charge the resident up to the higher, non-pensioner rate of basic daily care fee.

However, under the Aged Care Act 1997 an accommodation bond agreement must specify any additional fees payable by the resident as a result of the aged care home not being entitled to pensioner supplement if the agreed amount of accommodation bond exceeds the current limit for pensioner supplement eligibility.

Submitting RER forms

In completing an RER form it is important the all details be entered correctly. It is preferable that the name, date of birth and pension details be verified by sighting pensioner concession cards or other Government-issued identification, such as a driver's license. This will assist with the income test matching process with the Department of Veterans' Affairs and Centrelink and, in the case of pen­sioners or part-pensioners, ensure that payment of pensioner supplement starts at the earliest possible time.

Please remember that RER forms should be posted to the local Aged Care Payment team at Medicare Australia using the address provided in the instructions with each pad of forms.
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Police Check Declaration Reminder – Due By 30 September 2007

Approved providers of aged care services will soon receive the Police Check Declaration 2007. The Declaration is a "one-off" requirement of the Accountability Principles 1998 and relates to compliance with police check requirements between 1 March 2007 and 1 September 2007.

The Declaration will require approved providers to affirm that they have met their obligations and responsibilities with respect to police records checks (ie. national criminal history record check) for all relevant staff and volunteers. The Declaration applies to residential aged care services, community care services and flexible services directly subsidised by the Australian Government under the Aged Care Act 1997.

Approved providers will need to submit the Declaration by 30 September 2007

Approved providers with more than one aged care service must complete a separate declaration for each service.

Information Lines

There are now two information lines available to assist aged care service providers.

Aged Care Information Line 1800 500 853

The Aged Care Information Line provides information to aged care service providers and the general public about fees, charges, publications, programs and procedures for Australian Government funded residential and community care options.

The hours of operation are 8.30am to 5pm Eastern Standard Time Monday to Friday and closed on national public holidays.

Medicare Australia Aged Care Claims 1800 195 206

Medicare Australia has established a single number for Aged Care processing and online claiming enquiries. This provides faster and more streamlined services from Medicare Australia.

Aged Care providers can call one number about all claiming and processing enquiries as well as online claiming information and technical enquiries.

The hours of operation are 8.30am to 5pm Eastern Standard Time Monday to Friday and closed on national public holidays.
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New Form

Application to Transfer Aged Care Places to Another Approved Provider

The Aged Care Act 1997 provides for an approved provider to apply to the Department of Health and Ageing to transfer its allocation of places to another provider. Such an application must be made on the approved form.

A new form 'Application to transfer aged care places to another approved provider', has been developed and approved by the Secretary.

The new form is available on the Department's web site, in PDF and Word format at: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/ageing-publicat-ordinfo.htm

Please ensure that any copies of the old form are destroyed.

If you are unclear about any of the questions in this application form, please phone 1800 500 853 and ask to be put through to a Departmental Officer in your relevant State or Territory Office.

Extra Service Status For Residential Aged Care Homes

Invitation To Apply

The Secretary of the Department of Health and Ageing invites approved providers of residential aged care to apply for Extra Service status in 2007.

Closing Date

Friday 14 September 2007

Applications will be accepted between:

31 August 2007 and 14 September 2007

All applications will be assessed against the criteria set out in the Aged Care Act 1997 and the Extra Service Principles 1997.

All applicants must complete the approved application form. The application form and guidelines are available on the Department's internet site at: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/ageing-rescare-ess-essprov.htm Top of page

It will be to an applicant's advantage to send in sufficient text and material evidence to support the claims made in the application. If the documentation cannot be downloaded from the internet, please contact the Aged Care Information Line on 1800 500 853 to obtain a copy. The Information Line is open from 8.30am to 5pm Eastern Standard time (Monday to Friday).

The Minister for Ageing has determined under section 32-7 of the Aged Care Act 1997 that the maximum proportion of residential care places allocated in each State and Territory that may be Extra Service places is 15 per cent.

Two signed application forms with one set of clearly labelled attachments are to be sent to:

Postal Address
Extra Service Applications
Residential Program Management Branch
Department of Health and Ageing
MDP 75
GPO Box 9848
CANBERRA ACT 2601

Street Address
Extra Service Applications
Residential Program Management Branch
Department of Health and Ageing
MDP 75
Ground Floor Reception
Alexander Building
Furzer Street
WODEN ACT 2606

Please submit the Benchmark List section of the application form for approval of Extra Service status in electronic format as well as in hard copy to facilitate the publication of successful Extra Service packages on the Departmental website.

When sending the Benchmark List, the List should be marked with the name of the facility and its location. Commercial-in-confidence information which appears elsewhere in the application form should not be sent to the Department in electronic format. Electronic copies of the Benchmark List are to be sent to the following e-mail address: ESS.Applications.and.Inquiries@health.gov.au

Should providers approved for Extra Service status, who were not approved under the Extra Service Benchmarks, wish to have their list of approved Extra Services published on the website, they can also submit their information to the above e-mail address.
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5 Steps to Entry Into Residential Aged Care Pack

Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACATs) are the primary distributors of 5 Steps to Entry into Residential Aged Care packs. ACATs provide a pack to each person they approve for entry to residential aged care, or their carer, at the time of the assessment for entry to aged care. Aged care providers also provide packs to prospective residents in some circumstances, including where a person was not provided with a pack by an ACAT, or where they have misplaced the pack which was given to them. In some circumstances, it is also useful for providers to have a supply of some individual components of the 5 Steps pack to avoid providing a complete pack when a person only requires one or two components.

Providers are able to order individual components in the same way that they order the 5 Steps pack. The components of the pack are as follows:

• 5 Steps to Entry into Residential Aged Care booklet
• Appointment of a Nominee form
• Application for Respite Care or Permanent Entry to an Aged Care Home
• Request for an Assets Assessment kit
• Useful contact numbers
• Checklist - Choosing an Aged Care Home
• Information Sheets setting out aged care fees and charges
  • Fees and charges – An Overview
  • Assessing income for residential aged care fees
  • Income-tested fees for residential care
  • The accommodation charge
  • Accommodation bonds

5 Steps packs are not to be distributed generally to all prospective aged care residents or their carers as, in the majority of cases, they (or someone close to them) will already have received one. They should only be given to people who need them.

It should be noted that, coinciding with the Quarterly Reviews of income-tested fees, there are changes to some of the Information Sheets in the pack that relate to fees and charges. The booklet and the forms are also revised as necessary in line with any policy changes. Therefore we request that you only order supplies of stock that can be used in a three month period.

5 Steps packs, and individual components of the pack, may be obtained by calling the Aged Care Information Line on 1800 500 853.
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Residential Medication Management Review Program

The Residential Medication Management Review (RMMR) program has undergone some recent changes, including:
1. Your RMMR Service Provider will now be paid $130 per review from 1 July 2007 if they have been appr oved under the new arrangements;
2. Your RMMR Service Provider must ensure Quality Use of Medicine (QUM) services are provided to your Home. Your RMMR Service Provider can perform these services themselves or sub-contract the services to an alternate QUM provider;
3. All RMMR contracts are now standardised and are available from the Medicare Australia website: http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au. These contracts can not be altered.

To ensure a high quality of service and care for your residents please note:
1. Your RMMR Service Provider requires a resident's Medicare or DVA number, to claim for the reviews undertaken. Please ensure you maintain current and correct Medicare or DVA numbers for all your residents.
2. Medicare or DVA numbers of all residents should be made readily accessible to your Provider. This will ensure your RMMR Service Provider has more time to undertake reviews as they will not have to spend a large amount of time locating a resident's Medicare or DVA number.
3. The QUM services provided by the RMMR Service Provider may also assist your Home in meeting accreditation standard 2.7 – Medication Management.
4. When deciding on the QUM services that will best suit the needs of your residents and Home, please consider the time these services take to perform and discuss this with your RMMR Service Provider.
5. Collaborative reviews, (those that include a resident's GP), are considered to be Best Practice in medication reviews. Please liaise and consult with both your RMMR Service Provider and GPs to assist them in working together, thereby ensuring the best outcome of your residents.
Further information about the changes to the RMMR Program can be obtained from the Community Pharmacy Agreement Officer at Medicare Australia on (08) 8274 9641 or through the Medicare Australia website.
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Interim Accommodation Supplement for high care residents

As part of the $1.6 billion 'Securing the Future of Aged Care for Australians' reform package, the Australian Government will provide additional funding to residential care providers through a payment of $3.50 per day for high care residents (excluding residents in extra service places), from 1 July 2007 to 19 March 2008 inclusive.

The first instalment of the Interim Accommodation Supplement will be paid in October 2007 for the period 1 July 2007 to 30 September 2007 after the September claim has been provided for payment.

This Interim Accommodation Supplement of $3.50 per day for each eligible high care resident gives providers a one-off capital boost.

Providers will receive the supplement in respect of a resident for a day if on that day subsidy was payable for the resident and they:

• were classified as receiving high level care under the Resident Classification Scale; or
• had a classification that had lapsed, but whose most recent classification was for high level care under the Resident Classification Scale; or
• were not yet classified, but had an approval that was not restricted to low level care; or
• were a respite resident whose approval was not restricted to low level care.

The supplement will not be paid in respect of:

• residents of an aged care service that is not certified;
• residents who receive care on an extra service basis (in line with the current arrangements for the concessional resident supplement);
• occupants of flexibly-funded places;
• permanent residents (including those on leave) for whom a subsidy is not payable;
• respite residents for whom a subsidy is not payable;
• provisional allocations; and
• off-line allocations.

The second instalment of the Interim Accommodation Supplement will be paid in January 2008 for the period 1 October 2007 to 31 December 2007.

The third instalment will be paid in April 2008 for the period 1 January 2008 to 19 March 2008.

There will be no retrospective adjustment of the amount of a provider's instalment payment, up or down, once the amount has been determined (except in the case of fraudulent behaviour).

Further information about these changes can be found on the Departments website at: http://www.health.gov.au/feesandcharges or by emailing any questions relating to the reform package to feesandcharges@health.gov.au

If you have any queries about the amounts you receive, contact Medicare Australia Aged Care Payments on 1800 195 206.
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Securing The Future Package – Approved Provider Requirements To Receive Additional Subsidy

Implementation

From 20 March 2008, new subsidy arrangements will combine the current Concessional Resident Supplement and the Pensioner Supplement into a single asset-tested Accommodation Supplement.

The maximum level of the new Accommodation Supplement will also be increased.

Eligibility

Only aged care homes that are certified and meet the Building Certification fire and safety and privacy and space targets of the 10 year forward plan will be eligible for the higher accommodation supplement. Approved providers will need to ensure their homes meet the following conditions to be eligible to receive the new supplement:

Fire and Safety

Aged care homes must have achieved a score of at least 19/25 for Fire and Safety when measured against Question 1 of the 1999 Certification Assessment Instrument.

Privacy and Space Requirements

To meet the privacy and space requirement, aged care homes built since July 1999 must, in general, have:
• an average of no more than 1.5 residents per room; and
• no room may accommodate more than 2 residents;
• no more than three residents per toilet, including those off common areas, and
• no more than four residents per shower or bath.
Buildings built prior to July 1999 must, in general, have:
• no more than four residents in any room; and
• a maximum of six residents per toilet, including those off common areas, and a maximum of seven residents per shower.

Currently, 95% of homes meet the 2008 requirements. The Department will write to providers of the remaining 5% of homes that do not meet the targets and will conduct assessments of these homes within the next 2 months.

Approved providers will be required to indicate whether they meet the privacy and space targets in the 2007 Fire Safety Declaration.

Encouraging quality

A lower maximum supplement rate will apply to residents in aged care homes that do not meet both the fire and safety requirements of the 1999 Certification Assessment Instrument and 2008 privacy and space requirements. This lower maximum supplement rate will equal the sum of the indexed maximum rates of the Concessional Resident Supplement and the Pensioner Supplement.
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Removal Of The Adjusted Subsidy Reduction - Update

As communicated in the July edition of Payment E$$ential$ on 11 February 2007, as part of the Securing the future of aged care for Australians reform package, the Australian Government announced that it would remove the adjusted subsidy reduction from residential aged care places that are no longer in the government sector.

From 1 July 2007, the adjusted subsidy reduction was removed from places that have already transferred to the non-government sector. These places are now fully funded (with effect from 1 July 2007.)

Any places affected by the adjusted subsidy reduction that are transferred to the non-Government sector after 1 July 2007, will have the reduction removed effective from the date of transfer.

What will this mean for payments?

The actual payment of the increased subsidy is made in accordance with the normal subsidy payment cycle. This means that the July claim, being calculated for most providers in August, will show payments of the subsidy backdated to 1 July 2007. The September advance will also include these increases as it is based on the July entitlement.

Places transferred after 1 July 2007 will be updated in the Medicare payment system as they occur.

What will the payment statement look like for services no longer affected by the adjusted subsidy reduction?

There will be no significant changes to how the document produced by Medicare Australia, Explanation of Payment for Care Recipients in Approved Residential Aged Care Service, will look.

In the Payment Type column, 'Adj Subsidy' will still be written, but in the Rate Per Day column, the total amount will increase to full rate.

A note will be included on the front page 'ADVICE' box of the above form informing services that they will now be receiving the full rate.

The Claim for Commonwealth Subsidy for Care Recipients in Approved Residential Aged Care Services form will be unchanged. Approved providers are not required to do anything.

Adjusted subsidy reduction for places that remain in the Government sector.

In June 2007, the Minister determined the State Government services that will continue to be subject to by the adjusted subsidy reduction from 1 July 2007.

The value of the subsidy reduction is also determined annually by the Minister. In 2006-07 the amount was determined to be $10.50/per resident/per day. For 2007-08 the Minister has determined the adjusted subsidy amount to be $10.71 per resident per day.
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Update from Medicare Australia

Changes to the Authorised Signatory Process

Medicare Australia is changing the authorisation process to make claiming easier for aged care services. Detailed information regarding this change was provided in the July edition of Payment Essentials, and there have also been articles included in peak body newsletters over the past month.

Approved providers were mailed all relevant documentation relating to this process change earlier this month. In this mail out, approved providers received a covering letter outlining the new process, the new form for them to complete, and associated questions and answers. They were also advised that the new annual aged care approved provider statement needs to be returned to Medicare Australia by 31 August 2007 for implementation of the new process on 1 September 2007.

If you believe you should have been included in this mail out, and have not received the relevant documentation described above, please call the aged care helpdesk on 1800 195 206** and select option 1 to speak to an aged care payments and processing officer in your state.

If an approved provider has more than one service and therefore requires additional copies of the approved provider form, these can be downloaded from Medicare Australia's website at: http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/provider/pubs/forms/aged-care.shtml

This new process will reduce the amount of time and paper processing required for the existing authorised signature process and will benefit both approved providers and Medicare Australia.

** Call charges apply from mobile and pay phones only.

Aged Care Single Phone Number

Medicare Australia has consolidated its aged care claims processing and online claiming enquiry numbers into one national number.

The national enquiry number is 1800 195 206** .

Since the introduction of the new single phone number on 20 May 2007, over 2,200 providers have called the old individual state numbers. If you or your staff have been calling any of the below numbers, you now need to start using the new aged care single number.

Wrong Numbers:

NSW/ACT 02 9895 3640
QLD 07 3004 5888
SA/NT 08 8274 9511
VIC/TAS 03 9605 7599
WA 08 9214 8394

While these calls are currently being transferred to the new number, this redirection is due to cease shortly. Therefore, please ensure that all your staff who phone Medicare Australia's aged care state based processing teams, use the new number 1800 195 206**.

**Call charges apply from mobile and pay phones only.

Online Claiming Update

The implementation of aged care online claiming is gaining momentum. Medicare Australia now has eight software vendors with products that can transmit RER, RCS and Departure events through the file upload channel. There are also three software vendors who have the capability in their software to transmit the above data plus Leave events by means of the more efficient business to business (B2B) channel.

The most exciting news is that two software vendors (Eclipse Computing and Care Systems) now have full online claiming capability in their products. Professional Advantage and Management Advantage are also testing their products with full claiming capability, and we expect them to have their products ready for implementation soon.

These software vendors have committed to working with our state-based Business Development Officers (BDOs) who will support them (and any other software vendors who have products for the aged care sector) in registering providers/services for online claiming prior to implementation of their product. Our BDOs are also available to do an online claiming presentation to your management team. If you wish to contact a BDO in your state, please contact Medicare Australia's eBusiness service centre on 1800 700 199**.

There are currently 159 services registered for online claiming, with 74 services sending entry, departure, classification and leave data electronically, directly to Medicare Australia. 72 services are sending data via File Upload, and since 1 February 2007, two services have been sending data via the B2B channel. The number of registered services has increased significantly over recent weeks due to many services choosing to take advantage of the benefits that the aged care online claiming website can provide. These benefits include viewing claims data online – a function available to users regardless of whether they are transmitting data using the online claiming solution.

The Community Care event, which allows the collection of care recipient location details required for the new viability supplement, has recently been added to the aged care online claiming functionality.

Development of the next release for aged care online claiming is progressing and includes the capture of the Aged Care Funding Instrument (ACFI) through file upload, B2B or direct entry via web based forms. Information on this will be sent to all approved providers in the coming months.

**Call charges apply from mobile and pay phones only.
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Transition Care Program Update

The Transition Care program is operated under a jointly funded model between the Australian Government and the States and Territories. The Australian Government subsidy rate for transition care has increased to $106.93 per occupied place per day with effect from 1 July 2007.

Delivery of the Transition Care Program

The State and Territory Health Departments are the Approved Providers of the Transition Care Program and may contract a transition care service provider to provide transition care on their behalf.

What is transition care?

Transition care is provided to older people at the conclusion of an in-patient hospital episode, after they have completed their acute and any necessary sub-acute episode of care (e.g. rehabilitation). It provides a package of services that includes low intensity therapy (such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy and social work) and either nursing support and/or personal care. Transition care is goal-orientated, time-limited, therapy-focussed and targeted towards older people. It helps older people complete their restorative process, optimise their functional capacity, while assisting them and their family or carer to make long-term care arrangements.

Care settings

Transition care is provided in either a residential or a community setting. Transition care in a residential setting must be provided in a home-like, less institutional environment which has space available for therapy. It is possible for care recipients to move from one care setting to another within the same transition care episode, e.g. from a residential to a community setting. These care recipients will not require an ACAT assessment to enable that move.

Movement between transition care services

It is also possible for care recipients to move from one transition care service to another within the same transition care episode. Transition care is provided continuously for a maximum period of 12 weeks, with a possible extension of another 6 weeks. There is no leave from transition care. A transfer from one transition care service to another must therefore be continuous, without a break in care. During the transfer from one transition care service to another, a care recipient should continue to receive the full package of transition care services in accordance with the care recipient's care plan.

Transition care services, please note when claiming for transition care clients:

When filling in the discharge destination for a transition care recipient in the Medicare Australia claim form, the discharge codes A, B, C, F, G are NOT part of discharge code 6 – Other, but are stand-alone categories that need to be coded individually as A, B, C, F, G.
The discharge codes are:
1 - To Hospital
2 - To Residential Care (low level)
3 - To Residential Care (High level)
4 - Death
6 - Other
A - Return to community with HACC
B - Return to community with CACP
C - Return to community with EACH
F - Return to community without support
G - To other Transition Care service

For care recipients who are re-admitted to hospital or pass away during transition care, the Modified Barthel Index (MBI) score upon exit should be entered as 0 (zero).
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2007 Survey of Aged Care Homes

Approved providers of residential aged care should receive a questionnaire in early August for the 2007 Survey of Aged Care Homes. The questionnaires will be marked for attention to the person nominated as the contact officer when the Department telephoned each approved provider in late June. It is understood that this nominated person would be responsible for organising the completion of the Survey for all the home(s) managed by the approved provider.

Each year's Survey of Aged Care Homes seeks information on accommodation payments and building activity during the previous financial year. The Minister for Ageing is required by Section 63-2 of the Aged Care Act 1997 to include this information in a Report on the Operation of the Aged Care Act 1997, which is required to be presented to Parliament by 30 November 2007.

A considerable time has been allowed for residential aged care providers to prepare and send in their responses. The responsible contact officers for each of the approved providers are asked to submit their response before mid-September to the Taverner Research Company at the reply-paid address on the front page of the questionnaire. The timetable following receipt of the responses is tight and so early responses are encouraged.

More information on the Survey is available from the Department's website at: http://www.health.gov.au/sach

This website includes a PDF-version of the questionnaire plus an electronic version which can be downloaded and completed for emailing to the Taverner email address provided in the questionnaire.

It is stressed that information collected by the Survey is confidential and protected by law. It will be used only for the Report and for statistical research in the normal course of policy and program development. No information will be disclosed that identifies individual services, providers or residents. Survey information will not be used for compliance purposes in respect to an individual provider or service.

There will be more information in later issues of Payment E$$ential$.
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Schedule of fees and charges: From 1 July 2007

Description	Old Rates (to 30 June 2007)	New Rates (from 1 July 2007)
Maximum Basic Daily Care Fee#:
- all respite residents (pensioners and non-pensioners)	up to $30.77	up to $30.77
- other residents who receive a full or part means-tested Australian pension ##	up to $30.77	up to $30.77
- other non-pensioner residents ###	up to $38.35	up to $38.35
Residents who were receiving care in a hostel on 30 September 1997 and who are NOT currently at a home that was a nursing home before 1 October 1997.
- residents receiving full or part means-tested Australian pension##	up to $29.97	up to $29.97
- non-pensioners###	up to $37.55	up to $37.55
Residents who are currently receiving care in the same 'hostel' where they were living on 30 September 1997 and who are paying 'grandparented' variable fees	(see Residential Care Manual section 7.3.3)
Maximum Daily Income Tested Fee:
- residents receiving a full means-tested Australian pension	N/A	N/A
- residents receiving a part means-tested Australian pension
may be asked to pay	up to $23.70	up to $23.70
if they have private income per year of: (single)	$37,835	$37,939
(married - combined)	$74,942	$75,046
- non-pensioner residents
may be asked to pay	up to $53.96	up to $53.96
if they have private income per year of: (single)	$81,894	$81,998
(married - combined)	$163,060	$163,164
Pensioner allowable limit for accommodation bonds:
The non-pensioner rate of basic daily care fee (above) may apply for pensioner residents whose accommodation bond is over this amount	$132,000	$132,000
Minimum assets a person must be left with when calculating the maximum Accommodation Bond	$33,000	$33,000
Maximum Accommodation Charge for new entrants to your home* 1 July 2007 - 30 June 2008
- for concessional residents and charge exempt residents	N/A	N/A
- for residents who first entered residential aged care from 1/7/2004
. assisted residents, if their assets at entry are at least $51,323	$9.80	$10.04
. assisted residents, if their assets at entry are less than $51,323	calculated amount**	calculated amount**
. other residents, if their assets at entry are at least $65,029	$17.13	$17.55
. other residents, if their assets at entry are less than $65,029	calculated amount**	calculated amount**
- for residents who first entered residential aged care before 1/7/2004****
. assisted residents, if their assets at entry are at least $46,998	$7.49	$7.67
. assisted residents, if their assets at entry are less than $46,998	calculated amount**	calculated amount**
. other residents, if assets at entry are at least $60,941	$14.95	$15.31
. other residents, if assets at entry are less than $60,941	calculated amount**	calculated amount**
Asset cutoff level
- for concessional *** resident status	$33,000	$33,000
- for assisted *** resident status	$52,500	$52,500
Maximum permissible interest rate for Accommodation Payment agreements entered into
- Accommodation Bond	From 1 April 2007 to 30 June 2007	From 1 July 2007 to 30 Sept 2007
	10.37%	10.37%
- Accommodation Charge	From 20 March 2007	From 1 July 2007
	7%	7%
Pensioner Supplement (per day)	From 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007	From 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008
	$6.32	$6.45
Age pension per fortnight (maximum basic rate)	$506.80	$506.80
Age pension per fortnight (maximum basic rate + GST supplement)	$525.10	$525.10

# Residents in designated remote areas may be asked to pay an additional $1.06 per day (See section 7.3.9 of the Residential Care Manual)
## 'Pensioner' maximum rate also applies to blind pensioners & non-pensioner residents who have a dependent child
### 'Non-pensioner' maximum rate also may apply for pensioners who agree to pay a bond above the 'pensioner allowable limit'
* Rate remains unchanged for resident's stay in the one home, regardless of annual indexation of the max. rate for new entrants
** Margin of assets over $33,000 divided by 1,825 (See section 8.3.3.4 of Residential Care Manual).
*** See Residential Care Manual for additional criteria for concessional (6.3.5.1.2) and assisted (6.3.5.1.4) status.
**** Accommodation charge limited to a maximum period of five years and is fixed at date of entry.
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