There will be few unfamiliar names at the Royal Commission’s hearings into the redesign of the aged care system starting Monday with most having already given evidence at formal hearings in 2019 – but there is one new name: David Tune, AO PSM (pictured).
Tune authored the ‘Legislated Review of Aged Care’ in 2017 – which reviewed the reforms put in place by the 2013 Living Longer, Living Better package which in turn came out of the Productivity Commission’s landmark 2011 report on aged care services.
Among his 38 recommendations was the recommendation that the Government uncap supply of residential aged care and home care places including assigning places directly to consumers (with measures to ensure supply in thin markets) and an increase in the aged care provision ratio and review of the number of places.
Critically, Tune recommended changes be made to charging and means testing of care recipients’ fees, including mandatory means-tested consumer contributions for home support that included the value of the family home in the asset test for residential care, charging a minimum daily care fee in residential care; removing lifetime caps for fees and increasing the limits on Refundable Accommodation Deposits (RADs).
The Government immediately dismissed the idea of means testing the home or removing the caps – a politically unpopular move – three years ago, but will this discussion put them back on the cards?
Tune also argued four conditions needed to be met for this to happen:
- the Government to work out the underlying demand for aged care services
- “equitable and sufficient” consumer contributions to the cost of care – without creating a barrier to access
- a “robust” system for assessing eligibility for aged care services i.e. streamlining My Aged Care and the ACAT assessment process
- ensuring an “equitable” supply of services to people in rural, regional and remote areas
With Mr Tune to be giving evidence across two sessions: ‘Big Picture’ and ‘Transition’, it would seem the Commissioners are looking seriously at these steps.
The structure of the workshops into six sessions – ‘Big Picture’, ‘Information, Assessment, Navigation’, ‘Entry Level Support’, ‘Investment Stream’, ‘Care Stream’ and ‘Transition’ – with titles taken directly from the Commissioners’ consultation paper also implies they will be rigorously testing their own model – including separating care from accommodation and providing a simple gateway and seamless transition between services.
A discussion CEOs and boards will not want to miss.
Other witnesses will include:
- COTA CEO Ian Yates
- ACSA CEO Pat Sparrow
- LASA CEO Sean Rooney
- Aged Care Guild CEO Matthew Richter
- Australian Nursing & Midwifery Federation Secretary Annie Butler
- National Seniors Australia CEO Professor John McCallum
- Benetas CEO Sandra Hills
- Wintringham CEO Bryan Lippmann
- ECH CEO David Panter
- Various Department of Health representatives
You can see the full witness list HERE.
I’ll be on the ground reporting from the workshops every day – join me 6am Tuesday for the latest news.
