news
More choice, more challenges
Consumer-directed care’s next
phase adds to the hurdles for
organisations within the sector.
C
onsumers will be able to take the
care package they’re eligible for
to the provider of their choice
under legislation federal Parliament
recently passed.
Instead of the government allocating
aged-care service providers for people,
individuals are now able to select a provider
and, if they choose, move to another
provider, taking their package with them.
The Minister for Health and Aged Care,
Sussan Ley, said the changes would allow
greater flexibility for consumers, who
will be able to change providers if they
wish, including when moving to another
area to live.
“The reforms also ensure there will
be a consistent national approach to
prioritising access to aged-care services
through the My Aged Care gateway,”
she said.
COTA Australia welcomed the
introduction of the legislation. Chief
UNIQUE
Care
®
Manufacturer of quality care products
executive Ian Yates said the system
would give consumers much more
influence in negotiating the content of
their packages and the way in which
they’re delivered.
“An important perspective on this is that
if they should then subsequently not be
happy, this bill will give them the right to
transfer that package to another provider,
including bringing in with them any
unspent funds,” Yates said.
He said providers with strong consumer
support could now see all consumers with
packages as their market and, should they
want to expand, wouldn’t have to go through
a government approval round and bid
for places.
“That’s going to lead to a significant
improvement in quality over the years
that come, as good providers continue
to grow and poorer providers drop out,”
Yates argued.
Alzheimer’s Australia also welcomed
the new legislation, but said the system
would not work effectively without
easy-to-access, good information being
made available to consumers. ■
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