8. Are you approved or assigned a Government Funded Home Care Package?

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Are you approved or assigned a Government Funded Home Care Package? Many seniors, or their adult children, are ringing us and saying they HAVE a Government Funded Home Care Package…but unfortunately they don’t yet.  What they actually have is approval for a Home Care Package and instead they are on the waiting list, or National Prioritisation Queue, waiting for a Home Care Package to be assigned to them.

I wish the Government would write letters that were easier to understand – especially older people and their busy adult children, but they don’t – so let me explain the difference between being approved and being assigned a Home Care Package.

There are 2 letters sent after your ACAT Assessment for a Government Subsidised Home Care Package.

Letter 1 – Approval from ACAT

Within a week or two of having your ACAT (Aged Care Assessment Team) Assessment you will receive a letter that tells you that you are “approved as eligible to receive” a Government Subsidised Home Care Package.

That approval letter often looks and reads like the letter below.

Many people make the common mistake of thinking this letter means they now have a Home Care Package. It’s an easy mistake to make because the letter is written in language you are not familiar with.

This approval letter actually means you are “approved and have now been placed on the National Prioritisation Queue to wait your turn to be assigned, allocated i.e. given your Home Care Package”. That’s what people often don’t understand.

Tip: In our experience, ACAT is sending the approval letters within 2 weeks of your assessment. If that time has passed and you have not received your letter, ring My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and ask for another copy to be posted or emailed to you. It is VERY common for Elders or other family members to file this letter away without understanding its significance.

Letter 2: You are assigned or given your Home Care Package by My Aged Care

This letter is telling you, your Government funding is now available to pay for in home aged care.

This letter will also tell you that you have 56 days to choose your Approved Provider.