Further delays to aged care act, as negotiations pushed to September

Following months of anticipation, new details pertaining to aged care reform have been released. During last weeks parliamentary sitting, the parties took significant steps towards bipartisan collaboration but no formal agreement has been reached.

Aged Care Minister Anika Wells said that for reforms to succeed "there must be bipartisanship," The Australian reports.

"We can’t have this change from government to government. The sector won’t invest if they’re not confident about the rules," Ms Wells said.

"Their finances and care options are just too important."

The sector has expressed their disappointment at yet another delay to reform after many months of negotiations, with Aged and Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA) chief Tom Symondson saying the aged care funding crisis is "beyond urgent."

"If the new Act isn’t introduced immediately after parliament resumes in a fortnight, the chances of it passing before the next election are near zero," Mr Symondson said.

"Months of political negotiations, consultations with everyday Australians, consumer groups, economists, unions, providers and experts will have come to naught if the Government and the Coalition fail to find a way forward."

"Improving the lives of older Australians is the number one priority for aged care providers. A new, rights-based Act was the most fundamental recommendation of the Royal Commission and was universally welcomed. Without it, there is no more serious reform for our sector."

During a press conference in Townsville on Friday Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that "as far as I'm concerned, these matters have reached a conclusion."

"We know that for aged care, in the aged care industry, and for people, we will all get older, more Australians are getting assistance in the home, rather than in aged care, as aged care residents," the Prime Minister said.

"We need to make sure that the system is viable and sustainable going forward. We have worked with industry, we've worked across the Parliament as well, and as far as I'm concerned, the legislation to fix aged care needs to get done as soon as possible.

"We await the final agreement from the Coalition, but discussions have been constructive, and as far as I'm concerned, I have reached a conclusion. There is a broad agreement about what is required in the interest of a sustainable aged care sector going forward, and that will be a good reform in the national interest."

Sky News political editor Andrew Clennell broke down the key elements of the government's aged care plan that will be revisited in the next parliamentary sitting.

“The refundable accommodation deposit – a payment now pegged at a maximum of $550,000 – will have that rate lifted as part of the reforms, so more interest from the bonds can be used to pay for aged care services being provided to residents of homes,” Mr Clennell said.

“On top of that, the daily fees to pay for things like food and other services will also be lifted, but I am now being told speculation that self-funded retirees could pay as much as $40,000 a year for their care is wrong.

“All healthcare of aged care residents will be looked after, and everyone will have access to aged care, but so as to not blow out the budget, the uplift in fees will be for food and other services.”

When questioned, representatives from both parties appeared unwilling to discuss specifics related to reform and the new Aged Care Act.

Deputy Liberal Leader Sussan Ley told Sky News that “these are important issues for Australians, and we have to get them right.”

"Peter Dutton said right at the beginning of this term of government, we would work with the government on both aged care and the NDIS," she said.

"They’ve [aged care providers] been struggling with so much paperwork and the inability to actually do the caring that they need."

“We want a system that works for both our older Australians … but also the aged care sector itself, so that we don't have the threat of homes closing.”

The issue is to be revisited in the next parliamentary sitting, which commences on September 9th.

Read more: Crunch time for new Aged Care Act | Reforms delayed to consider “extensive and valuable feedback”

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