Once you have been allocated your Home Care Package, you have 56 days in which to activate it. If you don’t enter into a Home Care Agreement within 56 days, your Home Care Package will expire and you will lose the funding.
If you’re struggling to choose a provider, or if you’ve had other priorities during these 56 days, you can ask for an extension. The extension gives you 28 calendar days on top of the original 56 days, giving you a total of 84 days to find a provider and enter into an agreement with them.
What is a Home Care Agreement?
In order to activate your Home Care Package funding, you will need to give your referral code (found in your letter from My Aged Care) to a provider of your choice. Your provider will then be able to access your funding and start your Home Care.
Once you decide to give your referral code to the provider, you enter into a Home Care Agreement with them. This Agreement will outline what you can expect from your provider, the service arrangements and fees and charges. It will also include your care plan and care review periods, which usually occur annually.
Before signing with your chosen provider, make sure you read through the agreement and ask as many questions as you want to ensure you fully understand everything.
How do I get an extension on my Home Care Package?
To request an extension on your Home Care Package, contact My Aged Care. If granted, you will be given an additional 28 days to find a provider and activate your Home Care Package.
Make sure you request an extension before your 56 days are up, otherwise your Home Care Package will have already expired and been given to the next person in line in the National Prioritisation Queue.
What if I don’t want to accept my Home Care Package?
If your needs have changed and you’re moving into an Aged Care Home or are waiting for a higher-level Home Care Package, you can reject the first Home Care Package offered to you. Many people choose to do this if they have a high income-tested fee and don’t see the value in accepting a lower-level Home Care Package.
If you do choose to reject your Home Care Package, it won’t have a negative effect on your place in the National Queue and won’t mean that you wait any longer for your approved higher-level Package.
To reject your Home Care Package, instead of just letting it expire, we recommend that you contact My Aged Care as soon as possible to let them know that you won’t be accepting it. Doing this quickly means that someone else can access the Package right away and start receiving much-needed care.
