Changes to the Home Care Packages Program (HCP) mean that instead of paying the full subsidy and supplements in advance each month, the Government will now pay in arrears for services delivered by your homecare providers.
This will not affect your subsidy entitlements and these changes will not affect you, or the way you receive care from Everglow Community Care.
Services Australia will update the payment statement they issue to Everglow Community Care to include the home care account balance for each care recipient. This means that we will maintain oversight of the HCP recipients’ home care account balance and we will be able tell HCP care recipients their balance on a monthly basis.
Not only will you be told your balance, but you will also be able to find how much you have in unspent funds and where these unspent funds are held.
As phase 2 approaches on the 1st of September, you will find that home care subsidies will continue to be paid in arrears, but the payments to providers will be for actual services delivered.
Changes to unspent funds management
Everglow will claim the value of care and services delivered to a HCP care recipient in the previous month and Services Australia will pay Everglow monthly in arrears, based on the value of services delivered.
Everglow will continue to hold the Commonwealth portion of unspent funds that were accrued for a HCP care recipient before 1 September 2021 and can use this to deliver care.
In the event that a HCP care recipient exits the service, Everglow will return any Commonwealth portion of unspent funds to the Government.
It is important to note that these changes will not affect your care. You will continue to receive the same care and services, in line with your care plan. You will pay the same home care fees and full Government entitlements will continue to be available to you.
These changes will not affect you, or the way you receive care from Everglow. You will not have to make any changes to how you access our services and the standard of care you receive will remain at the highest quality.
