What is Home Care Package Level 4?
A Level 4 Home Care Package offers high-level Home Care to your loved ones. It is the top-level government-subsidised home support available for older Australians. It is designed for people whose health is declining and are struggling to stay independent at home on their own.
What does a HCP Level 4 include?
A Level 4 is a high level of Home Care for individuals with complex needs, such as nursing requirements. Depending on the type of care your loved one needs, this level can assist in various tasks such as gardening, nursing, and cleaning.
Additionally, your loved one can receive approximately 25 hours of support every fortnight, depending on your provider’s fees.
What can the Level 4 Home Care Package be spent on?
The choice depends on your loved one’s specific needs, but you can decide what it’s spent on! You can also choose a preferred approved Aged Care provider and service for their care.
Home Care Packages can be used on any reasonable service or product that will support their care and safety at home. Some of the most common services requested in this package level are:
- Domestic or household tasks such as cleaning, dusting, laundry, and dishes
- Household maintenance
- Gardening services such as lawn-mowing, weeding, and ensuring garden paths are safe and hazard-free
- Transport services
- Meal preparation
- Personal care services
- Nursing care services
- Memory and/or behavioural support
- Medication management services
How much is a Level 4 Home Care Package worth?
The annual government subsidy for a Level 4 Home Care Package is $59,594, and this amount is calculated in daily and fortnightly subsidies (July 2023). However, this subsidy does change in July each year and will be paid directly to your loved one’s provider.
When selecting a provider, you should assess your package subsidy and how much out-of-pocket payment is needed for your loved one’s care. The right Home Care provider will be able to explain their fees clearly so that you understand how much and what you’ll pay.
What fees are associated with a Level 4?
You may need to pay a basic daily fee and an income tested care fee for a Home Care Package.
Basic daily fee
Some Home Care providers may charge a basic daily fee for their services, but others may discard this fee. You will not be charged this fee from a CareAbout Home Care provider.
The basic daily fee changes in March and September each year, and the current fee for Level 4 is $12.53 a day (September 2023).
Income tested care fee
This fee is your contribution to the costs of your Home Care and is determined through an income assessment. Pensioners and those whose income doesn’t exceed $32,331.00 a year will not need to pay this fee (September 2023).
Currently, the income tested fee ranges anywhere from $17.97 to $35.95 per day, and this fee is also subject to change in March and September each year (September 2023).
Your Home Care provider may charge additional fees besides these two fees mentioned above, so it’s important to check with them and ask for a breakdown of your fees.
How do I apply for a Level 4 Home Care Package?
You can apply for a Home Care Package for your loved one at the My Aged Care portal or call them at 1800 200 422. Once you have applied, My Aged Care will arrange for an assessor to visit your loved one in their home to evaluate their level of care.
Am I eligible for a Level 4?
Australian permanent residents above 65 years who need help with tasks at home may be eligible for a Home Care Package. Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander individuals are also eligible for a HCP Level 4 from 50 years old.
Find a provider you can trust for your Home Care Package
Understanding your Home Care Package and finding the right provider can be challenging. If you’d like help with applying for a Home Care Package and comparing providers, CareAbout is here for you.
CareAbout helps carers and their loved ones select and navigate the various Home Care options available. For experienced advice in understanding Home Care, contact our team for a personalised discussion.
Know more about individual Home Care Package Levels :
