Appeals surge against Govt’s automated aged care assessments
Since human oversight was removed from the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT) last year, requests to have decisions reviewed have soared.
Consumers have lodged 414 appeals against decisions made by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT) since the new Aged Care Act came into effect last year.
The IAT began to be used for aged care assessment from 1 January 2025, with the aim of streamlining the assessment process. However, complaints have escalated since November’s reforms took effect, altering the IAT algorithm and dispensing with human review of decisions.
Recent Senate Estimates hearings revealed that 167 of the reviews related to the classification level recommended, 133 related to prioritisation, and 36 related to Support at Home. As of 11 February 2026, only two had been completed: one for and one against the appeal.
“Tool provides equity”: Department
Adrian Morgan, General Manager of Queensland home care provider Flexi Care, told The Weekly SOURCE that his organisation has had six clients submit appeals to assessment outcomes, with no determinations yet received. Prior to the reforms, Adrian had never submitted an appeal in his eight years working in the sector.
Adrian said last month that the IAT was generating “bizarre” results, and 37% of requests for care levels to be upgraded had been rejected.
When asked about Adrian’s experience in Senate Estimates earlier this month, Sonja Stewart, Deputy Secretary, Ageing and Aged Care Group with the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, said: “I do stand by this tool as somebody who is responsible for the system. This tool provides equity, this tool provides fairness and it also removes bias from the system.
“This tool is a necessary part of the system and it ensures that people, no matter where you are, whether it is in Queensland or somewhere else, are assessed in the same way and the rules apply in the same way.”
Old system “overallocated” care
Greg Pugh, First Assistant Secretary, Access and Home Support Division with the Department said under the Home Care Packages program, up to 25% of people were “overallocated” care.
He said the Department will ensure the algorithm isn't overcorrecting the error, and will contact Adrian directly.
Adrian has yet to be contacted.
The Weekly SOURCE’s questions on the subject to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing were not answered by the deadline for publication.
