complex health care, including palliative and psychogeriatric care for aged care recipients. 9.6 The Australian Government should set Not supported. scheduled fees for the delivery of certain The Australian Government should be sub-acute services that are delivered in a responsible for setting fees and subsidies residential aged care facility. These fees for aged care services, including complex should be cost reflective and, in general, health and sub-acute care that care lower than the scheduled fee for the recipients are eligible to receive as part of equivalent service provided in a hospital. the Specified Care and Services. The aged care reform package provides for greater clarity and consistency in the fees that consumers may be charged for different aged care services. However more intensive sub-acute and medical care is not the direct responsibility of the aged care system. Where “in-reach” services are provided by the public hospital system, aged care recipients should be able to receive these services without any out of pocket cost, just as is the case for the general population. Where services are provided by the private sector, the usual Medicare benefits and Private Health Insurance financing and user charging arrangements should apply. The Government does, however, support action to improve access for aged care recipients to services provided through the wider system, including potentially supporting an expanded role for aged care providers in health care provision, financed by public hospitals or through private health insurers. The aged care reform package includes a range of initiatives to promote innovation in this area. For example, a new Very High Level of funding will be added to the Behaviour Domain of the Aged Care Funding Instrument to improve the quality of care in aged care homes for residents who have severe behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia. 9.7 The Commission notes that the Australian Supported in principle. Government has agreed to assume funding The Australian Government recognises the responsibilities for specialist disability need for reforms to the aged care and services delivered under the National disability support systems to encourage Disability Agreement for people over the stronger linkages between these systems. age threshold. Further work is needed to determine how In that context, the Australian Government best to manage the interactions between should ensure that: both systems. The Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, a person with a disability eligible for Housing, Community Services and and being supported within the Indigenous Affairs and the Australian
complex health care, including palliative and psychogeriatric care for aged care recipients. 9.6 The Australian Government should set scheduled fees for the delivery of certain sub-acute services that are delivered in a residential aged care facility. These fees should be cost reflective and, in general, lower than the scheduled fee for the equivalent service provided in a hospital. Not supported. The Australian Government should be responsible for setting fees and subsidies for aged care services, including complex health and sub-acute care that care recipients are eligible to receive as part of the Specified Care and Services. The aged care reform package provides for greater clarity and consistency in the fees that consumers may be charged for different aged care services. However more intensive sub-acute and medical care is not the direct responsibility of the aged care system. Where “in-reach” services are provided by the public hospital system, aged care recipients should be able to receive these services without any out of pocket cost, just as is the case for the general population. Where services are provided by the private sector, the usual Medicare benefits and Private Health Insurance financing and user charging arrangements should apply. The Government does, however, support action to improve access for aged care recipients to services provided through the wider system, including potentially supporting an expanded role for aged care providers in health care provision, financed by public hospitals or through private health insurers. The aged care reform package includes a range of initiatives to promote innovation in this area. For example, a new Very High Level of funding will be added to the Behaviour Domain of the Aged Care Funding Instrument to improve the quality of care in aged care homes for residents who have severe behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia. 9.7 The Commission notes that the Australian Government has agreed to assume funding responsibilities for specialist disability services delivered under the National Disability Agreement for people over the age threshold. In that context, the Australian Government should ensure that: a person with a disability eligible for and being supported within the Supported in principle. The Australian Government recognises the need for reforms to the aged care and disability support systems to encourage stronger linkages between these systems. Further work is needed to determine how best to manage the interactions between both systems. The Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and the Australian