Frequently Asked Questions
Whether you’re just starting to research support options or looking to swap service providers, we can help. We’re just a click, tap or call away.
To help, we’ve assembled some Frequently Asked Questions about the aged care and disability services sector below.
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Disability Services
We actively encourage your family and loved ones to be part of the planning process and be there for you every step of the way. That way, you have family support and encouragement to help you achieve your goals.
How much you would like your family involved is up to you.
You can manage your NDIS funding in three different ways, and you can use a combination. The three options are:
- Your plan is managed by the NDIA
- Your plan is managed by a Plan Manager
- You manage your NDIS plan
This depends – if you are not able to use public transport because of your disability, you may be eligible for NDIS funding to cover transport e.g. taxis.
Please note, the NDIS will not provide funding to carers or family members to transport you to everyday commitments.
However, the NDIS can fund supports and services to help you build confidence and learn how to travel and use public transport independently.
The NDIS will work with you to establish what reasonable and necessary supports and services you need to live your life and achieve your goals and then provide you with funding to make this happen.
This includes funding to enable you to:
- pursue your goals and aspirations
- increase your independence
- increase your social and economic participation
- develop skills and independence to actively take part in the community
NDIS funding may include education, employment, community and social participation, independence, living arrangements, and health and wellbeing.
There is a number of criteria you must meet to be eligible for the NDIS – this includes:
- Be under the age of 65 at the time of application.
- Be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or a New Zealand citizen (with Protected Special Category Visa)
- Having a permanent disability that impacts how you can communicate, move, care for yourself, or manage your life.
- You may also be eligible for early intervention if it substantially improves your functioning and quality of life, or delays/decreases a decline in you or your child’s functioning.
Aged Care Services
There are certain supports and services that you must not use for Home Care Package funds for:
- buying food, unless it is part of enteral feeding
- permanent accommodation, including purchasing a home, mortgage payments or rent
- paying home care fees
- paying fees or charges for care that is funded or jointly funded by the Australian Government
- home renovations of modifications that are not related to your supports and services needs
- travel and accommodation for holidays
- entertainment activities, such as club memberships and event tickets
- gambling
- products and services that are covered by the Medicare Benefits Schedule or the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
You’re also expected to contribute to the cost of your care if you can afford it.
To get an estimate of the fees you may be asked to pay, please use the My Aged Care home care fee estimator.
You can apply for a Home Care Assessment online.
We’re always here to help – please Talk to Us if you would to discuss next steps with a Home Care Assessment.
To access a Home Care Package, you need a face-to-face assessment (or telehealth during COVID-19) to determine if you’re eligible.
In summary, to be eligible for a Home Care Package, you must be:
- an older Australian who needs coordinated support and services to help them stay at home and in their community, or
- a younger person living with a disability, dementia and requiring comprehensive supports that are not being met through other specialist services.
As part of the assessment, you will also complete a financial assessment to work out how much you may be asked to contribute to support and services.
Find out if you meet the requirements for a Home Care Package assessment from here.
Home Care Packages are provided by a number of aged care service providers across Australia – you can find out more about Claro’s Aged Care services from here.
You can also find Home Care Package providers from the find a Home Care Package provider tool.
Once you have been assessed as being eligible for a Home Care Package, you can choose a service provider that is right for you.
Don’t forget, Claro also offers a full range of aged care supports and services as well.
Once you have chosen a service provider that is right for you, your Home Care Package pays the provider a subsidy so the supports and services provided meet your needs.
As everyone is different, there are four levels of Home Care Packages with different funding available that covers everyday (basic care) support, through to comprehensive (high care) needs.
You then work with your chosen Home Care Package provider to identify your goals, supports and services required, and how to best spend your package funding. Your service provider coordinates and manages services and billing for you on your behalf, so you can enjoy the more important things in life.
Depending on the level of Home Care Package you receive (there are four levels), you can get supports and services for the following:
- Services to keep you well and independent in your home: personal care, nursing services, and allied health.
- Services to keep you safe in your home: cleaning, home maintenance and modifications, assistive technology.
- Services to keep you connected to your community: including transport, social support services.
Find out more at My Aged Care’s Home Care Package services.
What is the difference between Home Care Packages (HCP) and the Commonwealth Home Support Programme?
Client questions
Just click here and talk to us! We’ll do our best to get back to you within 24 hours.
Alternatively, please call us on 1300 303 770 and we’d be happy to answer your questions.
We are fully committed to the principles of separability of bricks-and-mortar funding (SDA) from person-to-person support (SIL) funding due to the proven positive impacts on quality and safety outcomes.
We believe that residents should not have to move in order to change their support provider.
We have put policies and structures in place that enable us to perform both the SDA and SIL role effectively, while ensuring that funding remains separable and that residents continue to have choice in their person-to-person supports provider.
We do this through clear policies and structural arrangements, including separate businesses for our SDA and SIL services.
We have lots of different payment options, depending on whether you get NDIS funding, Home Care Package funding or if are a fee-for-service (private) client.
Fee-for-service/private client means that you don’t get any government funding, like NDIS funding or Home Care Package funding, and just pay us directly.
For fee-for-service clients, the main ways we pay are:
Direct debit: we can set up direct debit payments on your nominated account, so that payments are processed automatically. If you choose to pay by direct debit, we can issue receipts for the amount debited. If you would like to use this method, please talk to us and we will set this up for you.
Invoice: We can send you regular invoices – email is quickest, but we can also post them to you if you prefer. These invoices can be paid by electronic funds transfer, credit card or debit card.
If you would like to receive invoices, please talk to us and we can set it up. Just a reminder that all invoices need to be paid within seven (7) days of receipt.
For our NDIS and HCP clients, we’ll work with you when you join us to make sure we have the right arrangements in place for you to pay or claim through the right channel.
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What is the difference between Home Care Packages (HCP) and the Commonwealth Home Support Programme?
Home Care Packages are one of the ways you can access affordable supports and services to get some help at home and in the community. Home Care Packages are designed to cover more complex care needs than what the Commonwealth Home Support Programme can provide.
Home Care Packages can be helpful if you need a coordinated approach to the delivery of supports and services – such as if you need help with many everyday tasks, or you need more comprehensive or intensive support.
If you think you only need a low level of support (perhaps one or two supports or services only), you may be more suited for help at home through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme.
