When a person changes provider
A person may decide to change home care providers if they:
- are looking for a better fit to meet their needs
- move to another area to live
Current providers must support care recipients who choose to change providers. For example, you can:
- refer them to the My Aged Care provider finder
- suggest they contact My Aged Care for help
Once a person has decided to change, they need to:
- give their referral code to the new provider and agree on a start date
- let their current provider know and agree on a cessation day
Cessation day
The cessation day is the date the current provider stops providing care to a person. The current provider does not get a home care subsidy for the cessation day.
If the person does not want a gap in their subsidy payment, they should ask their new provider to start services on the cessation day.
If you're the current provider
A person must let you know if they’re changing providers and agree on a cessation day with you.
Step 1. Agree on a cessation day
When you discuss the cessation day with the person, you should consider:
- their situation and circumstances
- the terms of their home care agreement with you
You must continue to provide care until the cessation day.
Step 2. Provide cessation information
Within 31 days of the cessation day, you must tell Services Australia. Submit the person's name, their cessation day and the reason for ceasing through Aged Care Online Claiming.
Step 3. Process the unspent home care amount
Calculate, provide written notice and pay the person's unspent home care amount.
If you're the new provider
When a person chooses you to be their new provider, they must call My Aged Care to reactivate their referral code and give it to you.
Step 1. Agree on a start day
You must agree on a start day with the person. The start date must be on or after the cessation day. Confirm the cessation day with both the person and the current provider.
Step 2. Accept the person's referral
You must accept the person's referral in the My Aged Care provider portal. Do this as soon as possible to help make sure you both can meet the timeframes in steps 3, 4 and 5.
Step 3. Develop a home care agreement
You must work with the person to develop a home care agreement, a care plan and an individualised budget.
The person must enter into a home care agreement with you within 56 days of the cessation day (or 84 days if they get an extension).
If they don't do this, we will withdraw their package.
Step 4. Provide entry information
Within 28 days of the person starting care, you must submit an Aged Care Entry Record.
Step 5. Receive the unspent home care amount
You should receive the transfer portion of a person's unspent home care amount within 70 days of the cessation day. If this does not happen, you should:
- let the person know
- talk to them and the previous provider about the delay
- if needed, help the person to lodge a complaint with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission
You must separately list the transfer portion in the person’s monthly statement.
Step 6. Manage supplements
These supplements automatically transfer to you as the new provider:
- dementia and cognition supplement — you must get a copy of the record of assessment
- hardship supplement — if the person's approval is still valid
- veterans' supplement
- top-up supplement
These supplements do not automatically transfer to you:
- oxygen supplement — submit a new form with supporting evidence to Services Australia
- enteral feeding supplement — submit a new form with supporting evidence to Services Australia
The viability supplement:
- automatically transfers to you if the person stays in the same area
- does not transfer if the person relocates — they will be automatically reassessed using the new location you enter in their record
Remember that you:
- must include supplements in the person's individualised budget
- must keep proof of a person's eligibility for supplements
Legislation
For more detail, see:
- Subdivision B — Responsibilities to give notices and make payments in relation to unspent home care amounts in the User Rights Principles 2014
- Part 2 — What is the amount of home care subsidy in the Subsidy Principles 2014