Improved Payment Arrangement (IPA) update
Due to the implementation of Phase 2 of IPA, the contents on this page are currently under review.
We encourage you to check the Improved payment arrangements for home care webpage, to access information about how this initiative impacts delivery of the Home Care Program.
Note: We do not have access to all documents created by, received by, or stored by other government entities.
What is a transfer?
A transfer is when you move one of your home care services to another approved provider. When this happens, your care recipients:
- exit from your service (the original service)
- transfer to the service with the other provider (the continuing service)
A transfer is usually part of a merger or acquisition.
Step 1: Do basic checks
Before you start a transfer, check the following:
- Are claims for the service up to date?
If not, work with Services Australia to resolve any outstanding claims. They cannot give you refunds for closed or inactive services. - Are there any outstanding refunds?
Contact Services Australia and let them know that you need these processed so you can transfer your service. - How many people receive care through the service?
We must manually exit people from your service before transferring them to the continuing service. This will take longer if the transfer affects a lot of people. - Do your care recipients know about the transfer?
Give them advance notice and tell them about their rights under the Charter of Aged Care Rights.
Step 2: Link the continuing service to an outlet
The other provider must decide which of their outlets will receive referrals for the original service.
Once they have decided, they must login to the My Aged Care service provider portal and:
- make sure they have created the outlet
- link their continuing service to the outlet
If needed, they can follow the Create Service Delivery Outlets and Add Service Information guide.
Step 3: Submit the application
At least 60 days before the transfer date (which must be on the first day of a month):
- complete the Application Form to Transfer Home Care Services to Another Approved Provider
- attach a copy of your latest Services Australia payment statement
- email the application to the Department of Health state or territory office in which the service will be located
Step 4: We process your application
We will transfer your care recipients to the continuing service on your behalf.
We will also tell Services Australia to:
- suspend advance payments
- record exit and entry information (if you use online claiming, Services Australia will tell you how to do this yourself)
You will receive automated confirmation that your care recipients have accepted the transfer.
Once Services Australia have recorded the transfers, you cannot reverse the process.
Step 5: Process complete
Our state or territory office will let you know when the process is complete. You should:
- update your details in the provider portal
- check statements to make sure we have processed payments correctly
In the portal, you can:
- leave the original service as open but mark it inactive
- ask us to close the service
The provider receiving the transfer cannot use the transfer as a reason to change their fees.
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