Govt's co-contributions policy for showers will stink until October

The Government has finally backflipped on co-contributions for personal care.

But it is delaying implementation until 1 October which means many older Australians will continue to miss out on showers and continence support through Winter.

Consumer co-contributions were introduced as part of the Government's new in-home aged care program, Support at Home, under the New Aged Care Act, which came into effect on 1 November 2025.

The reforms meant most consumers, including pensioners, were required to make contributions to the costs of non-clinical care of between 5% and 50% of the total cost, while the Government fully funded clinical care.

After the reforms were introduced it very soon became clear the combination of higher prices, which were necessary under the reforms for home care providers to preserve margins, and co-contributions meant consumers were declining essential personal care services, such as showering and continence care.

Today's decision sees the Government reverse its decision on the essential personal services of showering, dressing and support with continence management.

From 1 October, the Government will fold those services into the 'Clinical Care' category of Support at Home. The change will fully remove consumer co-contributions for those essential personal care services.

Despite the Government's recognition of its error, there is no proposal to reimburse consumers for the out-of-pocket expenses incurred for the affected services before the reversal kicks in.

The changes will be reflected in the 2026-27 Federal Budget and will cost the Government $1 billion over four years.

Background information provided by Aged Care and Seniors Minister Sam Rae's office said the changes form part of an "aged care package" Health Minister Mark Butler will cover in an address at the Press Club today (22 April 2026).

In the address, Butler is expected to reveal how the Government plans to slow growth of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), with some of the money saved to be diverted to aged care.

More refinements to the aged care reforms are expected.

"There will be further refinements that will need to happen ongoing. This [shifting some services to clinical care] is the priority now, which is why we're responding," said the Aged Care Minister.

"Older Australians, their families and providers told us these services needed to be protected. We've listened, and we're acting."

Despite the changes not being implemented until 1 October, the peak body for aged care providers, Ageing Australia, said they are "a win for the dignity of older Australians".

"Since the reforms were implemented on 1 November 2025, our members have been deeply concerned about those unintended consequences," said Ageing Australia CEO Tom Symondson.

"Particularly alarming has been the increasing evidence that older people were reducing the number of showers they had or forgoing them altogether due to cost. That is the worst possible outcome. Showering is not just about hygiene and health, it’s about basic human dignity."

Alex Lynch, Director of Aged and Community Care with Catholic Health Australia, said they "strongly support the removal of co-contributions for showering, dressing and continence."