Overview
We are moving current government-funded aged care providers to registration categories. This is based on the services you deliver or the services as required by your current funding agreement. This process is called deeming.
We will make this transition as simple as possible so you can continue to provide services that will protect the safety and welfare of older people.
The deeming process
We will deem current government-funded aged care providers into one or more registration categories when the new Act starts. This will be based on the services you provide, or those required in funding agreements.
To be deemed, an entity needs to have been actively delivering services in the 12 months before the start of the new Aged Care Act.
We will reach out to some provider cohorts to gather additional information for a manual deeming approach.
The deeming process will involve the following steps:
- In November 2024, we invited providers to nominate a contact for their organisation and review their proposed registration categories via a Deeming Validation Survey. This process has now closed.
- In April 2025, you will have an opportunity to review your proposed registration details via the Provider Registration Preview. This will be sent by email as a PDF attachment to your nominated contact as listed in GPMS or to your funding arrangement manager. This will be an opportunity for you to review and confirm your registration details and proposed registration categories.
- We will communicate with you about your obligations based on provider registration categories.
- You will be formally deemed into registration categories relevant to the services you deliver or are funded to deliver on 1 July 2025, to align with the implementation of the new Aged Care Act.
Providers should advise us of any changes in circumstances or update your contact details through either your account manager or the Manage Your Organisation tile within GPMS. More details are available below.
By setting up existing providers when the new Act starts, we will:
- reduce the administrative burden for providers
- maintain continuity of care for older people.
Once the new Act starts, you will operate under the new regulatory model and will need to meet the obligations of your registration categories.
During the Provider Registration Preview, you will be advised of your indicative registration renewal date. The registration renewal data will be based a recommendation from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission who will consider matters such as:
- risk
- regulatory intelligence
- workforce management
- recency of accreditation audits or contacts.
Providers trading as multiple entities under a single ABN
Providers with multiple provider records in the aged care system will be identified using the ABN details based on existing departmental data.
You may choose to maintain multiple registered provider records where each entity has a unique ABN. However, this will limit the benefits of a single registration across all programs and will duplicate:
- renewal of registration processes
- costs, and
- reporting and notification requirements.
To make changes to how you currently operate your business in aged care, including updating your contact details, please:
- use the Manage Your Organisation tile in the Government Provider Management System (GPMS) or,
- contact your funding arrangement manager.
Subcontractors (associated providers)
Subcontractors of government-funded providers (associated providers) will not be deemed as a registered provider. Subcontractors can continue to deliver services if they are contracted by a registered provider.
Subcontractors can apply to become a registered provider using the new process once available.
Commonwealth Home Support Programme
Providers with a Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) grant agreement for 2025-27 will be deemed as a registered provider. They will be allocated registration category or categories based on the services included in their funding agreement.
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program
Providers funded to deliver the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program (NATSIFAC), with a grant funding agreement that is effective from 30 June 2025, will be registered into:
- Registration categories 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, if they have places allocated to provide home care services and/or
- Registration category 6, if they have places allocated to provide residential services.
Home Care Packages Program
Providers approved for the Home Care Packages Program (HCP), and are currently delivering services, will be deemed in categories 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. If the provider indicates they do not deliver or do not intend to deliver nursing services, they will not be deemed into category 5.
HCP providers can notify us that they wish to opt out of nursing. To do this, the provider must not be supporting any older people with nursing services requirements, either directly or via sub-contracting arrangements.
You can provide this advice to us during the provider registration preview. Alternatively, you can notify the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission via a Change of Circumstances notification or application to vary your registration after 1 July.
Residential care
Providers approved for Residential Care, with an accredited residential care home delivering residential care, will be deemed in category 6.
Short-Term Restorative Care
Providers delivering a Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC) service will be deemed into categories 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Multi-Purpose Services Program
Providers approved for Multi-Purpose Services, delivering care with places allocated to it, will be deemed into categories 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
Transition Care Programme
Providers approved for the Transition Care Programme (TCP), with places allocated to it, will be deemed into categories 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
Providers delivering multiple aged care services
Providers meeting criteria for multiple programs will be deemed into all relevant categories. For example, a provider delivering the Short Term Restorative Care Programme and residential care would be deemed into categories 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
Contact nomination request information and deeming validation survey
This process has closed.
If you didn’t receive or participate in the contact nomination and/or deeming validation survey, you will be able to review your registration details, including registration category or categories, as part of the provider registration preview in April 2025.
Incorrect information or change in circumstances
If you have noticed incorrect information about your organisation, please update your information using the provider registration preview process.
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