About funding assessments
Residential aged care funding assessors will use the AN-ACC Assessment Tool to assess residents’ care needs.
Information from the assessments is used to assign residents an AN-ACC classification.
The amount of variable funding given to providers will be based on the resident’s AN-ACC classification.
The assessment tool considers:
- physical ability
- cognitive ability
- behaviour
- mental health.
Who undertakes funding assessments
Residential aged care funding assessors (assessors) are employed by assessment organisations. They are independent of the aged care provider.
Separation of assessors and providers ensures the integrity of the system and that residents’ care needs come before funding decisions.
Assessors must have a minimum of 5 years’ experience as a registered nurse, physiotherapist or occupational therapist delivering clinical services in aged care settings, such as:
- geriatric evaluation
- rehabilitation
- palliative care
- community nursing, including people living with dementia.
Classes of funding
There are 13 AN-ACC classes for permanent residents, including a class for planned admissions for palliative care.
The AN-ACC class determines the amount of variable subsidy the approved provider will be paid for the resident.
For more information, see Section 4 of the AN-ACC funding guide.
There are 3 AN-ACC classifications for respite residents. The AN-ACC class will determine an amount of subsidy the approved provider will be paid for meeting the respite resident’s care needs.
For more information, see Section 5 of the AN-ACC funding guide.
Following completion of the residential aged care funding assessment, an AN-ACC class will normally be assigned to the resident the next day.
Reconsideration or reclassification of decisions
Aged care providers can request a:
- reclassification of a resident in their care if the resident’s care needs have changed significantly since the existing classification took effect
- reconsideration if they disagree with the AN-ACC class that has been assigned to the resident.
Providers can submit a reclassification request through the My Aged Care Service and Support Portal.
For more information, seed Section 6 of the AN-ACC funding guide.
Resources
See the AN-ACC funding guide for more information about residential funding assessments.