What does a Home Care Package cost?
Home Care Package Prices
There are two components to fees and charges for a Home Care Package based on guidelines set by the designated Commonwealth Department:
a. The Basic Fee: At the date of this Agreement, the basic fee is 17.5% of the single maximum rate of the Centrelink pension, excluding rental assistance, the pharmaceutical allowance, and the GST supplement. This component of the Fee is payable by all Care Recipients, regardless of Income.
b. The Income Tested Contribution: Care recipients on higher incomes may be charged an additional amount to receive a Home Care Package. This amount is determined independently of PAC as the result of an Income Assessment completed by Centrelink. All Home Care Package Recipients must be assessed by Centrelink to determine the amounts to be paid for this component of the Fees and Charges. The subsidy paid by the Department of Health is reduced by an equivalent amount, so the total value of the Home Care Package remains the same. PAC may choose to invoice you the full amount of this component when receiving services until an alternative amount is confirmed at the outcome of this Assessment. (Note: We will adjust your invoices to the correct amount once we receive advice of the outcome of this assessment).
The amount of your ongoing fees shall be determined by agreement between a Package Advisor and you or your representative, and will be calculated depending on your financial income.
Fees are charged fortnightly following service. A Statement showing fees and payments will be provided to you in an agreed format.
All fees will be increased twice per annum in line with indexation of the pension unless we choose to only do this annually. You or your representative will be advised in writing within fourteen (14) days prior to the commencement date of any variation to fees.
If your financial circumstances change, and you have difficulty paying the basic fee, you or your representative may ask the Package Advisor to review your fees. You will not be denied a service because of an inability to pay fees, however your service level may be reduced in accordance with the amount of services able to be covered by your allocated Funding.
Exit Fee: In the event that a Care Recipient terminates the delivery of their Home Care Package by PAC we may charge a Maximum Exit Fee of $250 to cover the Administration requirements associated with the Calculation of Returnable Funds that needs to be provided within legislated time frames. This amount will only be charged to any remaining CDC Budget Balance.
The attached document outlines the standard amounts we will charge against your CDC Budget for the services PAC provides.