How to read your home care package statement

Home Care Package (HCP) funding can be confusing, which is why BlueCare has re-designed your HCP statement so that you can more easily understand how your funds are being used, and what funds are available at the end of the month. This way, you can be sure you’re getting the support you need.

Your HCP statement is a bit like a bank statement – it shows you what funds have come in and what funds have gone out for the month that you have received services, usually the previous calendar month. It is NOT an invoice for payment.

Here are some key pieces of information to look out for on your statement:

Opening balance: Your available package funding at the beginning of the month
Funds in: The government’s HCP funding, as well as your own contributions
Funds out: Costs deducted for services, management charges and viability fee
Total adjustments: A summary of any corrections due to late payments, transfer of funds or missed appointments
Closing balance: The funds available this month.

We have created an example statement that explains each section in more detail, which you can download here, as well as a helpful glossary.

Or watch our helpful video to find out more.

If you any questions about your statement, please contact your local BlueCare service or email us at enquiry@bluecare.org.au

Home Care Package statement terms and acronyms

Basic Daily Care Fee

Home Care recipients are asked to contribute to the cost of their care to meet all of their home care needs. This is known as the Basic Daily Care Fee. The Basic Daily Care Fee can apply to any Home Care Package recipient (irrespective of their income and whether or not they are a member of a couple) but is not mandatory. The maximum Basic Daily Care Fee is 17.5 per cent of the basic rate of the single age pension. The rate is readjusted on March 20 and September 20 each year in line with changes to the age pension.

Closing Balance

These are the ‘unspent funds’ you have available in your package. We recommend a contingency balance of 5-10% of your annual package subsidy. If your unspent funds are significantly higher, please contact your Home Care Package Partner to discuss ways to get the most out of your package.

The Dementia and Cognition Supplement in Home Care

Provides additional funding in recognition of the extra costs of caring for people with cognitive impairment associated with dementia and other conditions.

Enteral Feeding Supplement

A primary supplement paid to aged care providers for care recipients with a specified medical need for enteral feeding.

Government funding

Commonwealth Government funding for your Home Care Package can include:

Home Care Subsidy
Income Test Fee (ITF) Subsidy Adjustment
Supplements

Hardship Supplement

Available to home care recipients in genuine financial hardship who do not have income to pay their costs of aged care due to circumstances beyond their control. In general, home care recipients who have commenced receiving a Home Care Package on or after July 1, 2014, need to apply for a hardship supplement.

Home Care Subsidy

Main funding of the approved Home Care Package based on the level of HCP received.

Income Tested Care Fee

The Commonwealth Government assesses the amount that an eligible care recipient can contribute to their care and reduces the Home Care Subsidy by that amount. You may need to make up this difference in funding to allow us to meet your care needs. This is the Income-Tested Care Fee and is different for everyone because it is based on an individual’s income. This fee is in addition to the Basic Daily Care Fee. Full pensioners do not pay an income-tested care fee.

Income Test Fee (ITF) Subsidy Adjustment

The reduction of the Home Care Subsidy based on the eligible Care Recipient assessment to contribute to their care.

Management charges

Direct management and co-ordination of your package this month, including administration and government requirements for your package.

Oxygen Supplement

A primary supplement paid to aged care providers for care recipients with a specified medical need for the continual administration of oxygen. This need will normally be met by a concentrator.

Services used this month and expenses

This includes the cost of all services received and any recurring or one-off expenses allocated to the package during the month. A full breakdown of these costs is included in the transactional listing of your statement.

Supplements

Supplements are additional funding provided to eligible Care Recipients based on specific approved services, and may include:

The Dementia and Cognition Supplement in Home Care
The Veterans’ Supplement in Home Care
Oxygen Supplement
Enteral Feeding Supplement
Viability Supplement
Top-up Supplement (EACH-D)
Hardship Supplement

Top-up Supplement (EACH-D)

Payable to a provider for a consumer who previously held an Extended Aged Care at Home – Dementia (EACH-D) package, prior to August 1, 2013.

The Veterans’ Supplement in Home Care

Provides additional funding for veterans with a mental health condition accepted by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) as related to their service.

Viability Fee

The viability supplement is paid to your service provider by the government on your behalf and is based on your suburb and postcode to recognise higher costs of providing services in rural and remote areas. This is shown as the viability supplement in your ‘Funds In’ and then offset as a viability fee in ‘Funds Out’.

Viability Supplement

The home care viability supplement is payable to providers in rural and remote areas in recognition of higher costs of providing services in these areas. This is shown as the viability supplement in your ‘Funds In’ and then offset as a viability fee in ‘Funds Out’.

Your contribution

Any additional funding you are contributing to the cost of your care.

For more information about your Home Care Package statement, please contact your Home Care Package Partner. If you are new to Home Care Packages, send us an email or call us on 1300 874 531 or to find out how BlueCare can support you at home.

You can also find more information about Home Care Packages in the Commonwealth Government’s guide to home care package services.