The government tonight backed up its promise to be “ambitious” for aged care in the 2023-24 Federal Budget, showing they are listening to the sector and prepared to increase investment.
- The headline is the previously announced funding in full of the 15% aged care worker pay rise, costing the government $11.3 billion over four years.
- An additional 9,500 Home Care Packages will be released in 2023-24, costing $166.8 million.
- The rollout of the new Support at Home package has again been pushed back, now by a year to 1 July 2025, allowing time to get the reforms right.
- An Aged Care Taskforce will be established to look at ways to make aged care funding more “fair and equitable” - an opportunity for the government to consider increased consumer contributions to the cost of aged care.
- A new regulatory model and prudential framework, which will be reflected in the new Aged Care Act, will cost the government $59.4 million in 2023-24.
- And the government will invest $126.7 million over four years on improving data quality and analysis in the new Star Ratings system.
- The government will invest $59.5 million over five years in a National Worker Registration Scheme, a recommendation of the Royal Commission.
- The Government has also announced it will exempt international students working in aged care from the working hours limit for six months until 31 December 2023.
- The tripling of the Medicare bulk billing incentive will also have a positive impact for many aged care residents, as their doctors will be more likely to bulk bill their services.
