How Health Department defends Support at Home assessment tool
Government defends Support at Home assessment tool amid funding and wait time concerns
- IAT defence: Department rejects claims new assessment tool reduces care package funding
- No cost controls: Government denies IAT linked to spending cuts or funding targets
- Funding model: Algorithm aims to improve equity and consistency in home care allocation
- Wait times: Standard Support at Home packages still facing 11 month delays
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has replied to SA Senator Anne Ruston’s questions on notice from a snap hearing held on 1 April 2026.
The hearing of the Senate Inquiry into Support at Home was held at short notice in the evening, just before Parliament broke for the Easter break. The Department was the only witness.
The Senator’s questions reflected sector concerns that the Government’s new aged care assessment aid, the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT), is recommending lower-than-expected care packages.
In their response, the Department denied this claim.
“The average level of ongoing funding that participants are approved for since the introduction of the classification algorithm is not lower than under the previous system,” they said in their written response, published on the Senate Inquiry website.
The Department also denied the IAT has resulted in lower Government spending on aged care. The Department says it has no “cost containment targets” or “performance measures” linked to the use of the IAT or the classification algorithm.
“The classification algorithm improves the allocative efficiency of in-home aged care funding compared to the Home Care Packages (HCP) program,” the Department said.
“It ensures that people with similar characteristics and clinical needs receive the same level of support, reducing variability in funding levels which was seen in the HCP program.
“It has been designed to achieve consistency, ensure equity and build confidence.”
Earlier in the week, the Department also responded to questions about wait times to receive Support at Home packages. The Department referred to information available on My Aged Care, which has not been updated since 1 November 2025.
Standard priority recipients can expect to wait 11 months to receive Support at Home services.
The Government has committed to an average wait time of three months by 1 November 2027.
