The Australian Government is introducing new consumer protections for Support at Home participants. These are in addition to protections already in place to ensure reasonable prices and service quality for participants.
The government has also announced it will pause the implementation of price caps for Support at Home services.
This pause allows providers more time to adjust to the new funding and pricing models and prepare for the change.
The additional protections mean the government will:
- empower the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission to:
- order refunds for services where providers are found to be overcharging
- take regulatory action against providers who are choosing not to meet their clear requirement to issue monthly statements
- provide regular public reporting on investigations and enforcement action
- publish a new National Summary of Support at Home Prices each quarter, showing the median and the range of prices charged by providers so older Australians and their families can see how their provider compares
- building on the removal of out-of-pocket costs for showering, dressing and continence services under Support at Home, the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission will specifically monitor the prices of personal care as they transition into the Clinical Care category
- encourage providers to limit the frequency of price increases to no more than 2 per year, giving older people certainty to budget their packages
- convene a working group with the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN), Council on the Ageing (COTA) Australia, Ageing Australia and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission to focus on three key priorities:
- establishing a more robust definition of ‘reasonable’ pricing, giving providers and consumers clearer guidance on their responsibilities and rights
- undertaking further consultation on the multi-provider model
- developing further guidance and supports for older people who self-manage their packages.
The government will also provide extra funding to support OPAN to expand financial advocacy, and COTA to provide education and information on consumer protections, including service agreements, aged care rights, and information on how to compare prices. This funding will support older people to understand their prices and get assistance to challenge them when needed.
Aged care providers must continue to:
- set reasonable prices, meaning they are based on the costs they incur to deliver a particular service to a participant
- be transparent and publish the price they most frequently charge for each service on the My Aged Care website
- keep records that show what their prices include.
Together with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, we will continue to monitor prices that providers are charging and take regulatory action where required. This includes any changes in the pricing of personal care services once the service type has moved to the clinical supports contribution category from 1 October 2026.
We appreciate the considerable and ongoing efforts of providers to implement the changes to aged care over the last few years. This level of commitment ensures older people continue to receive quality aged care services while the system undergoes major changes.
Read the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors media release.
Find out more about setting Support at Home prices.