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As you get older and move into your senior years, the ability to maintain your independence and continue living in your own home can make a huge difference to your overall wellbeing. Home care services can provide treatment options tailored to your specific needs that help you stay out of hospital or even enjoy a quicker at-home recovery after surgery.
Let’s take a closer look at the home care services available and how they’re covered by Medicare and private health insurance.
Home care is the provision of clinical care, nursing and allied health services, as well as personal assistance, to older Australians to help them stay in their own home. Home care services are designed to offer older Australians an alternative to residential aged care, allowing them to retain their independence for as long as possible.
Home care programs offer a wide range of services and can be tailored to cover individual needs. Some of the services provided include:
The Australian government provides funding for home care services through two programs:
This entry-level home support program is designed to provide assistance with daily tasks to help senior Australians continue living at home. Services provided include:
However, if you receive services through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme you will be asked to contribute towards the cost of those services.
The Home Care Packages Program is designed to help people with more complex care needs to retain their independence. There are four levels of home care packages available to suit different care needs, and services provided include:
Your Home Care Package provider may ask you to pay a basic daily fee of up to 17.5% of the single basic age pension. If your income is over a specified amount ($25,792 for an individual) you may have to contribute an extra income-tested care fee.
Medicare can also provide some cover for palliative care received at home. Home care must be medically recommended and you may still need to contribute to the cost of medical equipment, medications and at-home nursing care. You can find more details in our guide to health insurance and palliative care.
Older Australians and those living with a disability may also be able to access government subsidies to help cover the cost of home modifications. This can include the installation of ramps, handrails, hand-held showers and emergency alarms, as well as other services such as widening doorways and adjusting bench heights.
The Federal government introduced the Increasing Choice in Home Care (ICHC) reforms on 27 February 2017. These reforms are designed to provide greater control and increased choice to older Australians in regards to the home care services they receive.
The reforms featured a number of key changes for older Australians accessing home care services, including:
In addition to the government subsidies that help cover the cost of home care services, you may also be able to access cover from your private health fund. Most home care services usually fall under the auspices of hospital cover policies, but you may also be eligible to receive home nursing services as part of your extras cover.
Depending on your health fund, you may also be able to access discounts on in-home care services. For example, HCF members can access a 10% discount off More at Home, an in-home community care service provided in metropolitan Sydney.
However, the cover available can vary widely depending on your health fund and the level of cover you select, so contact your fund for details of the covered home care services available to you.
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