Administering aged care laws
The Department of Health administers the Aged Care Act 1997 and other related aged care laws. These laws set out the rules for government-funded aged care.
We:
- manage the My Aged Care website and contact centre to help older people, their families and carers access government-funded aged care services
- process applications from organisations to become approved aged care providers
- publish guidance to help aged care providers understand the laws
- respond to reports of non-compliance
- improve policy through reforms and reviews to support high quality aged care
Committees and groups
We chair committees and groups that focus on improving aged care in Australia.
- Aged Care Financing Authority
This authority provides advice to the Australian Government on funding and financing issues. - Aged Care Sector Committee
This committee provides advice to the Australian Government on developing and implementing policy. - Residential Aged Care Funding Reform Working Group
This group advises the Department of Health on residential aged care funding reform activities.
Consultations and engagement
We consult with the public and stakeholders about aged care policies, laws and issues. View our recent public consultations on changes to aged care.
We also engage with our stakeholders to make sure they have the news and resources they need. For example, we:
- hold webinars on topics of interest to the aged care sector
- produce an email newsletter for the aged care industry
Aged care reforms and reviews
Reforms to the aged care system in Australia are:
- improving quality of care
- making it easier for older people to access government-funded aged care services and support
Read more about reforms and reviews in aged care.
Programs
Our programs target different aged care needs in our community. To find out more, view our list of aged care programs.