The latest ACFI User Guide published on 9 December 2016 has been updated to address minor editorial errors.
View the latest version of the ACFI User Guide here:
Updated: 28 February 2017 – ACFI User Guide 2017 (.pdf)
FAQ’s have has also been published on the changes to ACFI 12.4: Complex Health Care Pain Management Questions:
Frequently Asked Questions – Changes to ACFI 12.4: Complex Health Care Pain Management Questions
Released: 27 February 2017
The Minister for Aged Care, Ken Wyatt, AM, MP, today launched Increasing Choice in Home Care, which gives consumers more choice in home care services – such as personal care, nursing and social support – to suit their individual needs.
Mr Wyatt said the major reform will improve the way services are delivered to older people in their homes.
“Changes to Home Care Packages, starting today, mean that funding for home care will – for the first time – follow the consumer, not the provider,” he said
“This major change allows older Australians to direct funding to the provider of their choice to meet their particular needs.
“If their care needs are not being met they can change providers more easily.
“This will result in service providers offering more flexible, personalised services that put older people and their families at the centre of the delivery of high-quality, innovative home care.”
Read more:
Older Australians to have more say in delivery of home care services (.pdf)
Released: 23 February 2017
Thousands of Australians will benefit from an innovative new form of flexible aged care that will help older people remain in their own homes for longer after injury or illness.
The Minister for Aged Care, Ken Wyatt AM, MP, today announced 475 Short-Term Restorative Care places with an estimated total expenditure of up to $34.7 million a year.
The new places are part of the 2016-17 Aged Care Approvals Round (ACAR).
Mr Wyatt said: “The new short-term restorative care places aim to help people, who are experiencing illness or who have suffered an injury, from prematurely entering residential aged care.”
Read more:
New flexible aged care places help older Australians stay at home for longer (.pdf)
The Department of Health has released a new edition of its ‘Information for Aged Care Providers’ newsletter.
Read more:
Released: 17 February 2017
A nationally consistent approach to the delivery of aged care advocacy services to help those ‘lost in the system’ is a step closer with the development of the draft National Aged Care Advocacy Framework and today’s opening of the National Aged Care Advocacy Program funding round.
The Minister for Aged Care, Ken Wyatt AM, MP, said feedback from the aged care sector is helping to shape how advocacy services can better empower people to exercise choice and control within the aged care system.
“Consumers increasingly have more choice and a greater say over how they access aged care services,” Minister Wyatt said.
“Advocacy providers work one-on-one with older people and their families, particularly the more vulnerable groups in our community, to help them understand their aged care options so they can make informed choices.
Read more:
The Aged Care Financing Authority (ACFA) was asked by government to provide advice on cost neutral mechanisms to ensure access to care for supported residents. This included reviewing the efficiency, effectiveness and appropriate level of the:
• supported resident ratio for each aged care planning region
• 25 per cent discount applied to the maximum accommodation supplement amount where a service does not provide more than 40 per cent of its eligible care recipient days to supported residents.
Read more:
ACFA report on access to care for supported residents now available
Report on access to care for supported residents – January 2017 (.pdf)
DoH – Report on access to care for supported residents – January 2017
8 February 2017
Australia’s first National Rural Health Commissioner will be an independent and high-profile advocate for regional, rural and remote health.
The Assistant Minister for Health, Dr David Gillespie, will introduce the Health Insurance Amendment (National Rural Health Commissioner) Bill 2017 into the House of Representatives to establish the role of the Commissioner as part of important reforms to regional and rural health in Australia.
The Commissioner will be established as a statutory officer holder under the Health Insurance Act 1973.
“The people of regional, rural and remote Australia are the heart and soul of our country, but their health outcomes are often diminished due to their remoteness and reduced access to health services,” Minister Gillespie said.
Read more:
We have now heard of several cases where users have submitted ACFI records to Medicare that have been processed and then marked as ‘Rejected’. On calling and speaking to staff at Medicare they have been informed that their software i.e. Manad Plus, has an issue or their software is not updated with the new 1 Jan ACFI changes.
This is not correct! Manad Plus has been updated and passed all testing with Medicare for submitting ACFI appraisals with the new 1-Jan-2017 business rules.
When sending ACFI appraisals you need to correctly select the ACFI Schema based on when the payment date will commence. Therefore, if you have ACFI records where the payment will commence from Dec-16 you need to use Schema A, if payment is to commence from 1 Jan-17 onward then you need to submit using Schema B rules.
If you are unsure then please check the software Release Notes published with the last update and if you are still unsure then contact the Help Desk for clarification, 1300 62 62 32 or support@manad.com.au.
The Department of Health has released a new edition of its ‘Information for Aged Care Providers’ newsletter.
Read more:
The Australian Aged Care Quality Agency has released the February 2017 issue of their ‘Quality Standard’ newsletter.
Read more:
Management Advantage Pty Ltd
Suite 2, 430 Rae Street
Fitzroy North
VIC 3068
1300 62 62 32
info@manad.com.au