Presbyterian Aged Care (PAC) is here to help you to understand payments for home care
Information on Payments
Home Care Payments
The federal government funds aged care assistance in your home, known as home care. In most cases the care recipient also pays a “contribution amount”.
Commonwealth Home Support Program
For Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) the contribution amount is agreed between the care recipient and the provider.
Home Care Packages
For home care packages (HCPs) the contribution amount has two components:
- A “basic amount”, which everyone pays
- An income tested amount, which is Centrelink assessed via their “Aged Care Fees Income Assessment” form
Once the federal government determines your income tested amount, they deduct this off the funding to PAC. This is why PAC needs to collect this.
Exit Amount
- If you choose to change your aged care provider they will have some administration costs as you leave
- The government allows a provider to charge an exit amount for this administration and requires providers to publish this
- At PAC there is not exit amount
PAC is happy to answer any questions you might have about payments for home care and other aged care questions.
Home Care – Letting you know the pricing details
Here you’ll find information on how the pricing works. We understand some of this might seem a bit confusing. Please don’t worry, we can talk you through every or any point.
Home Care Package Prices
For Home Care Packages (HCPs) the contribution amount has two components:
- A “basic amount”, which everyone pays
This 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. - An income tested amount, which is Centrelink assessed via the “Aged Care Fees Income Assessment” form.
The government deducts this amount from the funding to PAC, thus our need to collect this. Until this assessment is completed by Centrelink, PAC will estimate the amount in your invoices. Once the assessment is complete PAC will adjust your invoices accordingly.
Commonwealth Home Support Programme Prices
Presbyterian Aged Care (PAC) currently applies the following contribution amounts to CHSP:
- $11.00 per hour for domestic assistance and similar one-to-one activities
- $15.00 per session for in-centre group-based activities
- Up to $20.00 per session for scheduled one-to-one visits with Allied Health professionals
Your contribution amounts will be agreed between you or your advocate and your Package Advisor and will be calculated depending on your financial circumstances.
Invoicing
Your income tested amount, and any extra services you’ve chosen, will be invoiced fortnightly following services and a statement will be provided. It is reviewed twice per annum in line with indexation of the pension.
You or your carer/relative will be advised in writing within fourteen (14) days prior to any variation to fees.
Changed Circumstances
If your financial circumstances change, and you have difficulty paying the basic and/or income tested amounts, you or your advocate may ask your 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.
Our Pricing – Full Price List
It is important you know exactly what the charges will be so that you can compare and plan your budget.
For a full price list of the amounts we will charge against your home care budget, Click here