Seniors

Productivity Commission reports

In August 2011, the Commonwealth Government released Caring for Older Australians, the Productivity Commission's final report on its investigation into the aged care system. The Productivity Commission recommendations aim to deliver higher quality care that focuses on the wellbeing of older Australians, promoting independence, giving people choice and retaining their community engagement. 

Also in August 2011, the Commonwealth Government released the Productivity Commission's report Disability Care and Support. The report recommends far-reaching reform of the way disability supports are delivered in Australia by establishing a National Disability Insurance Scheme to provide no-fault cover for people with catastrophic injuries as a result of accident or injury.

Both these reports are critical in shaping the future of aged and disability services. Further information can be found on the Productivity Commission’s website.

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Council of Australian Governments (COAG)

In August 2011, COAG agreed to the National Health Reform Agreement that sets out the shared intention of the Commonwealth, state and territory governments to work in partnership to improve health outcomes for all Australians and ensure the sustainability of the Australian health system.

This new agreement gives effect to the commitment made by COAG in February 2011, and in doing so, supersedes the National Health and Hospitals Network Agreement and the Heads of Agreement on National Health Reform.

In February 2011 it was confirmed through the COAG Heads of Agreement that the Commonwealth Government will assume full funding, policy, management and delivery responsibility for a national aged care system.  This is part of wide ranging national health and hospital reforms.

Under these reforms the Commonwealth took full policy and funding responsibility for HACC aged care services from 1 July 2011 and will take full operational responsibility from 1 July 2012.

More information is available at the COAG website.

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New arrangements for HACC

In accordance with the COAG National Health Reform Agreement, from 1 July 2012 the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) will assume:

• funding and program responsibility for services currently provided under HACC for people aged 65 years and over (50 years and over for Indigenous Australians)
• funding responsibility for specialist disability services provided under the National Disability Agreement for people aged 65 years and over (50 years and over for Indigenous Australians).

The participating states and territories, including South Australia, will assume:

• funding and program responsibility for services currently delivered under HACC for people under the age of 65 (under 50 for Indigenous Australians)
• funding responsibility for packaged community and residential aged care services currently delivered on behalf of the Commonwealth for people under the age of 65 (under 50 for Indigenous Australians).

The Commonwealth will work with States and Territories to implement the new funding arrangements with a smooth transfer of operational responsibility for HACC aged care services from 1 July 2012.

During the transition year 2011-12 it will be business as usual where possible. The Department for Families and Communities will continue to administer the SA HACC program and current service agreements will remain in place until 30 June 2012.

Further information is available on the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing website or email HACC.Reform@health.gov.au

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Impact on HACC clients and services

It is expected that the new funding arrangements will have minimal impact on client services.

Service providers will continue to provide the same support to the same HACC eligible clients as usual. New contracting and cross-billing arrangements will occur ‘behind the scenes’ and will not affect the day to day delivery of services to HACC clients.

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