Hardship applications from Aged Care participants have more than doubled since the introduction of Labor’s new Aged Care Act, figures disclosed during Senate Estimates reveal.
The Aged Care Act, and the new Support at Home program came into effect on 1 November. In the two months since the commencement of Support at Home and the new Aged Care Act, Services Australia received 2,598 aged care hardship claims. [November: 1326 claims, December: 1272 claims – presented to Estimates at 5:45pm here].
In the two months immediately prior to the new Act, there were 1,429 claims, a more than doubling since the new act was introduced. [September: 571 claims, October: 858 claims – presented to Estimates at 6:40pm here].
Officials from Services Australia told the Greens’ Penny Allman-Payne that increased hardship claims were an ‘anticipated’ outcome of the new Support at Home program, which has seen the cost of essential aged care services dramatically increase, including help with showering, meals, and around the home.
Around one in three hardship applications were rejected by the government. In the quarter ending in December, just 67.7% of hardship claims were successfully approved, with 24% of hardship claims rejected and the remainder withdrawn (5:47).
The form to apply for aged care hardship is sixteen pages long and requires the participant to give three months of evidence of expenses. Experts have warned that the process of navigating this bureaucracy, for someone who definitionally is of low means and already needs help with their daily care, is a near-impossible task.
Next Monday, the government’s aged care plans will face more scrutiny at a Senate hearing in Brisbane, chaired by Greens Spokesperson for Older People Senator Penny Allman-Payne.
Greens Spokesperson for Older People, Senator Penny Allman-Payne:
“Exactly as designed, Labor’s new Aged Care Act is pushing older Australians into financial ruin to boost the bottom line of private aged care providers.”
“We’re hearing from pensioners under Support at Home who can no longer afford the help they need with showers, meals and medications, continence pads, or keeping a safe and clean home.”
“Forcing people in their 80s and 90s to go through an onerous 16 page form to apply for help so they can have showers and meals each day is just ridiculous and cruel. It’s a system that’s been designed to deny people care.”
“It would be much more straightforward to simply make sure that everyone can access the help and care they need – but instead Labor are jacking up the price of care and shaking down pensioners for all they’ve got.”
“In a wealthy country like Australia, we can afford to look after our most vulnerable, and make sure everyone can access the help and care that they need.”