Aged care means assessment - home care post-entry 065-18082138

Customer has an existing RCA activity started in ISIS is the message displayed when there is an existing auto entry event activity. This assessment must be completed in Customer First. Use Process Direct to issue any Request for Information (RFI) if required, otherwise, update the status of transaction in Process Direct to Not Required and go to Customer First table to complete means assessment. See Aged care letters - creating manual letters.

Complete the Aged care means assessment - preliminary checks including action required when care recipient is RCA/CUR and the system to complete the means assessment.

• Determine the date of event (DOV) for the means assessment
• If care recipient has changed providers, ensure any discharge has been coded:
• Cancel RCA/HOM activity on AL screen
• Code discharge details on RCIRC screen and finalise via Assessment Results (AR) screen

If the DOV for means assessment is prior to the date of death of the customer's partner, handover to Customer First is required. See the Handover function table in Process Direct navigation, common screens and functions to complete. See the Customer First tab to complete means assessment.

Is the care recipient (or partner) in receipt of a means tested income support payment (ISP)?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, go to Step 3

Determine the correct date of receipt (DOR) to use for this means assessment. The correct DOR is required for both ISP and means assessment purposes.

Go to Step 4.

The DOR is whichever is on Activity List (AL) screen, the:

• DOR of the auto activity, or
• DOR of the means assessment form

If the auto activity was received first, means assessment is completed in Customer First using the auto activity.

Go to Step 4.

A care recipient not in receipt of a means tested income support payment must lodge an Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care form including when they do not wish to disclose their means. See Aged care means assessment.

Has a calculation of your cost of care been completed and not yet assessed for the means assessment?

• Yes,
• if care recipient is DVA responsibility, go to Step 6
• otherwise, see Table 2
• No, verbal means assessment for an ISP customer, go to Step 5

Verbal means assessments are only able to be completed for care recipients who receive a means tested income support payment (ISP).

If a verbal assessment is requested by an authorised third party, see Accepting information from and disclosing information to a Power of Attorney.

When undertaking a verbal assessment:

• advise the care recipient or third party their income details will be used to complete a home care means assessment:
• Advise that maximum aged care fees may be payable if income details are not given
• discuss when the care recipient's record was last updated:
• Update new information as needed
• If needed, use the questions on the Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care as a guide while on the phone with the care recipient
• when changes to circumstances are advised, and documentation is required to make these updates:
• Request required forms/documents. See Verifying income and assets and Requesting information (CLK)
• Issue an aged care RFI letter. See the Requesting information - Process Direct table in Aged care letters - creating manual letters
• Create a Fast Note. Select Auto text, use Aged care > Assessment > Progress of Aged Care Assessment
• Document advice provided and what information has been requested

Can the home care means assessment be completed verbally?

• Yes, see Table 3
• No,
• Advise an Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care is needed
• Record contact using a DOC/Note
• Procedure ends here

If the care recipient lodges an Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care form with Services Australia, send the form to DVA for completion. See Aged care means assessment - preliminary checks for the responsible departments for Aged care details.

Check ACSP or ACMPS for:

• means assessment data provided by DVA, and
• fees are set from the date of entry

Cancel the RCA/HOM transaction:

• Select the transaction from Transactions (TS) tile
• Select the customer's claim, the Status icon and then Change Status
• Update the Status to Not Required
• Select Save
• This will cancel the new claim activity
• Record a DOC/Note (if not automatically created) that clearly states the claim has been cancelled.

Record the action taken. Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Aged Care > Assessment > Aged Care MA Withdrawn/Cancelled.

Include the following:

• all actions taken to confirm responsibility
• details of any contacts with DVA
• action taken to restart matching in ACMPS
• entry event resent to DVA with the date and time this occurred

To complete, in:

• ACMPS, copy the text details from Customer First DOC into ACMPS note

If the Authorising a person or organisation to enquire or act on your behalf section on the Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care form has been completed, and all signatures/documentation are provided. See Adding or rejecting a nominee request to code a nominee. This nominee will be added to all aged care systems.

Refer to Person Permitted to Enquire (PPE) or Update (PPU) authority if a third party has been nominated as a:

• Person Permitted to Enquire (PPE), or
• Person Permitted to Update (PPU)

Confirm the Aged Care - Calculation of your cost of care form has been completed correctly and signed by the care recipient or authorised third party. See Aged care means assessment.

• Confirm documents provided by checking Document List (DL) and Documents tile
• Confirm previous information recorded on Notes tile
• Use the Aged Care - Calculation of your cost of care form 'checklist' to confirm all necessary supporting documentation is provided
• Use Verifying income and assets to determine if supporting documents are required
• If the Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care form has details of a partner not linked to the care recipient's record, and the partner has not signed the form, a Partner Details (MOD P) form is required. See Change in relationship status from single to partnered
• If the previous Complex Assessment Officers (CAO) assessment is within the last 12 months and is recorded on the Trust/Company Income/Assets Summary screen (TRCIAS) screen, no further referral is needed

Is more information needed to finalise the RCA/HOM activity?

• Yes, and the required information/documentation has:
• not previously been asked for, go to Step 3
• previously been asked for, go to Step 6
• No, see Table 3

Do not issue further request for information letters if:

• the care recipient departed from home care, and
• further supporting information is needed to complete the assessment

Has the care recipient departed from home care?

• Yes, see Table 4
• No, go to Step 4

Genuine attempts to contact by phone should be made to discuss the request if this has not already occurred. Send a pre-call notification SMS if the customer or nominee is subscribed to electronic messaging. See Calling a customer or returning a customer's call.

Note: although there is no obligation to give information verbally, advise the benefits and potential consequences of failing to provide information in the required time frame.

Can the outstanding details be collected verbally?

• Yes,
• Only verbal confirmation is required, see Table 3
• Supporting documentation is required, go to Step 5
• No, and:
• outbound call was unsuccessful, go to Step 5
• supporting documentation is required, go to Step 5
• the care recipient wants a written request for the information, go to Step 5
• the care recipient does not want to disclose their means, see Table 4

• Issue a written request for information notice to the claimant (and partner if applicable) using > Request Documents, See the Requesting information - Process Direct table in Aged care letters - creating manual letters
• Review the CAO Assessment Doc to make sure the most recent information is applied to the previous CAO assessment
• Complete a Complex Assessment Officer (CAO) referral (if needed)
• Procedure ends here until documents returned

Is it 21 days plus an allowance to receive the notice since the RFI was issued to the care recipient?

• Yes, finalise the means assessment, see Table 4
• No,
• Code DL in Super Key or select Notes to annotate existing Fast Note or go to Customer First to create new note - select Auto Text > Aged Care > Assessment > Progress of Aged Care Assessment to include action taken
• hold the means assessment RCA/HOM activity for remainder of the 21 days plus an allowance to receive the notice

If means assessment is being processed from a verbal assessment, a Social Online Application (SOA) shell is used to create a transaction in Process Direct.

To create a new SOA shell:

• Select SOA Shell from the Process Direct Landing page
• Key the appropriate details in these fields:
• Benefit Type: Aged Care Means Assessment
• Customer CRN
• Date of Receipt
• Please select the care type
• Select Create Claim
• The Circumstance Data screen displays

To access an existing aged care means assessment from a scanned form, go to the Transaction Summary (TS) screen.

If there is a partner to be added, a Partner details (MOD P) form is required. See Update relationship status and link customer and partner records.

See Change in relationship status from single to partnered or Change in relationship status from partnered to single for further information.

Complete claim pre-checks, update relationship details and issue Requests for Information before selecting Process. Relationship status is not able to be changed after Process has been selected as this will cause errors. If relationship status needs to be updated after Process has been selected, the assessments will need to regenerate. See Process Direct navigation, common screens and functions.

Once any updates to MS are completed, select the Process button.

The following task selectors will be displayed:

• RCA Specific Screens
• Personal Details
• Income and Assets

Select all task selectors and then select Next.

A list of Aged Care (RCA) specific screens will be displayed. Select required screens to complete a home care means assessment:

• RMND - Residential care assessment - means test details
• RCIRC - Residential Care Assessment Circumstance
• RDEP - Residential care assessment - dependants (if required)

Select Next.

Finalise the means assessment as means not disclosed (MND) when a care recipient:

• has not provided an Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care
• after the initial request sent and no response received
• has not replied to a request for further information (RFI) letter, or
• chooses not to disclose their income details

If the customer is choosing not to disclose their means, from the Means not disclosed table:

• Select the +Add button
• A prompt box is displayed. Key the Event date
• Select the 'Yes' radio button next to Means not disclosed
• Select Save

Note: if MND was previously coded as 'Yes', this may require updating to 'No' or blank.

Once completed, select Next.

Check the RCIRC tabs are populated as below:

• Under the Institution details section:
• Select the +Add button
• Key the Service name
• Key the admission date
• Select Save to update this information
• Income Test Details: confirm date of effect is correct
• To edit, select on the pencil button under Action
• Grandfathered Details: confirm date of effect is correct

Once completed, select Next.

Dependent children mean that a care recipient will not have to pay an income tested care fee (ITCF). Income details must still be maintained on the record. See Aged Care fees and charges - care subsidy reduction to zero.

If the customer has indicated that they have dependent children, under the Residential care assessment (RCA) dependants table:

• Select the +Add button
• Key the Date of Event
• Select the number children from the drop down menu
• Select Save to update this information

See the References page for a link to the Aged Care Act 1997 definition of a dependent child.

Once completed, select Next.

For care recipients discharged from home care before their means assessment is finalised, the means assessment is completed or rejected.

Check Aged Staff Portal (ACSP), Care recipient - Customer Summary for entry and departure coding

Is a departure from home care coded?

• Yes, go to Step 7
• No, see Table 4

If a departed care recipient provides all information and supporting documentation, complete a means assessment for their entry into home care.

In the future, if they depart then re-enter home care within 120 days of the assessment being completed, the assessment remains valid and will be used for the new date of entry into care.

Is all required information/documentation available to complete the home care means assessment?

• Yes, see Table 4
• No, see Table 6, Step 1

Select required screens to update from the list presented:

• MS - Partner Details
• AD - Address
• ACS - Accommodation
• OC - Office Code
• TDS - Telephone Details
• EMA - Email Address Details

Or check Select all tasks.

Partner Details cannot be updated after processing the assessment has begun. Updates must be actioned prior to claim commencement.

Is the current marital status and partner information correct?

• Yes, Select Next to proceed to the next screen
• No,
• Partner Details can only be updated before processing the assessment
• The activity must be regenerated to continue
• Note the claim ID for reference
• Select the Back button
• Select the button > Regenerate, and select an appropriate reason and select Save
• Go to the MS screen using Super Key
• See Table 3, Step 2 for the process to update Partner Details
• When partner details updates are complete, use the claim ID or customer CRN to access the claim from the Transactions menu
• Once the partner details have been addressed, select Process

Update a postal address when requested by:

• a care recipient
• a court appointed guardian or administrator
• a power of attorney (POA), or
• an existing Centrelink correspondence nominee, when the postal address is not the same as their own postal address

A postal address is not updated when requested by:

• an existing Centrelink correspondence nominee, when the postal address is the same as their own postal address

For additional information on updating addresses (including postal), see:

• Updating address details
• Adding or rejecting a nominee request
• Aged care request for a nominee or executor
• Accepting information from and disclosing information to Power of Attorney

To add new address details:

• From the Address (ADH) table, select the + (plus) button
• Complete all required fields and select the Save button

If the care recipient provides new information, update as required:

• Review and confirm accommodation details on Accommodation (ACS) screen
• Check Office Code (OC) screen
• Update any new contact number on the Telephone Summary
• Update the email address on the Email Address Details

Once personal details completed, see Table 5.

An Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care requests income information as at the date of event (DOV) of the aged care means assessment. Supporting documents may include a history of income.

For multiple updates to income support payment (ISP) changes:

• the DOV should include the date of the change as stated in supporting documents, and
• if further changes occurred, the date of receipt

If the partner has recently died, do not contact the care recipient or nominee. See Bereavement reviews for further information on reviews following the death of a member of a couple.

Has the care recipient advised of any changes to their income and assets details?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, go to Step 3

Care recipients receiving an ISP can advise income and asset changes that occurred before the means assessment date of event (DOV). Code these changes as part of the means assessment. See Verifying income and assets for details or documents required.

See Verifying income and assets to determine if further verification and documents are required.

Select the screens to update from Income and Assets task selector:

• The task selector will pre-select and flag any modules that have provisional data from the assessment
• If means assessment is being coded from a scanned form, check all income and asset screens for existing information
• Partner income and assets will not display in the customer's record
• To view and update partner income and assets, select and select the partner from the menu slider
• To return to the customer's record use

The coding of income and assets for aged care purposes aligns with the Social Security Act 1991. See the below links for further information including Process Direct coding:

• Coding income and assets for Centrelink payments and services
• Financial Investments
• Exempt income and assets for Centrelink payments
• Assessing deprivation/gifting
• Foreign income and assets
• Income streams
• Aged Care means assessment with total assessable assets equal to or greater than $10,000,000 (an applicable assessable income)

Does the care recipient (or their partner) get any income from employment?

• Yes, and care recipient (or partner):
• receives an ISP, go to Step 4
• does not receive an ISP, go to Step 5
• No, go to Step 6

Employment income reporting requirements for a care recipient (or partner) in receipt of an ISP:

• Statement reporter
• have employment income
• must advise of income, hours worked and any other changes on their reporting day
• Notification reporter
• no employment income or stable employment income and exception is met
• must advise starting work or any changes within 14 days
• See Reporting overview

If this is the first time that the care recipient (or partner) is declaring income, see Recording and correcting employment income details.

Go to Step 6.

Care recipients not in receipt of an ISP:

• are not able to update their income each fortnight as a non-continuous frequency such as Income for One period (IOP)
• have their income assessed in the same way as a continuous income exception notification reporter
• have regular income coded as 1WE (weekly) or 2WE (fortnightly)
• have variable income averaged over a suitable period

See Determining the Date of Event for employment income for help coding income.

If no DVA income has been declared for aged care means assessment purposes, go to Step 7.

If the care recipient has declared a DVA payment is received check the Department of Veterans' Affairs Summary (DVAS) screen for DVA coding.

Is the DVA payment/benefit coded correctly on DVAS screen:

• Yes, go to Step 7
• No,
• Referral required to DVA Clearance Team
• Go to Payments from the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) and referrals to the DVA Clearance Team for referral and Fast Note information
• Place the claim on hold for 5 days pending return
• Procedure ends here until DVA clearance team have completed coding

Update the Real Estate and Business (REBS) screen if the care recipient indicates:

• rental income for their own home or other real estate
• income from a business - sole trader or partnership
• an involvement in a Private Company or Private Trust (including Special Disability Trust)

Does the care recipient have income from any of the above?

• Yes, go to Step 8
• No, go to Step 11

Does the care recipient (or partner) receive rental income from real estate, including their principal home?

• Yes, go to Step 9
• No, go to Step 10

When rental income is received from a property for a home care means assessment, that is not already coded on REBS, handover to Customer First is required. See the Handover function table in Process Direct navigation, common screens and functions to complete. Refer to Customer First tab to complete means assessment.

For help with coding rental income, see Assessing and coding the Real estate details Mod R and Income from boarders and lodgers.

• Update existing property details:
• Update rental income
• Do not change the previously coded asset value

When a care recipient (or partner) receives income from a business, any income from the business will be included in the home care means assessment.

If previously recorded business income has changed, see Changes to income and assets from a business structure.

Does the care recipient (or partner) receive income from a sole trader business or a partnership?

• Yes, code income only then, go to Step 11
• For sole trader business coding, see Sole traders
• For business partnership coding, see Partnerships
• No, go to Step 11

Does the care recipient have an interest in a private trust or private company?

• Yes, go to Step 12
• No, see Table 6

If the care recipient (or partner) has an interest in a private trust or private company check if a CAO assessment has been completed within the last 12 months. A new referral may not be required.

Check the Document List (DL) for a Completed CAO Assessment DOC and review the CAO Assessment Doc to make sure the information is applied to the previous CAO assessment.

Has the most recent CAO referral been completed within the last 12 months?

• Yes, a new referral is not required, see Table 6
• No,
• See Trusts or Companies for details on documents needed and Complex Assessment Officer (CAO) referrals
• See Identifying and making suitable referrals to the Complex Assessment Officer (CAO) for information on referring to a CAO for assessment

If a new referral is required:

• Select Back to return to Customer and activity information
• Select the button > Referral and complete required information
• Means assessment will change to Status: On Hold with reason Referral to CAO and Note will be recorded
• Once CAO assessment complete, see Table 6

Has the care recipient departed from home care before the completion of this means assessment?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, go to Step 5

To retain entry information in the care recipient's record, the means assessment is finalised for all departed care recipients.

Was the means assessment able to be completed?

• Yes, go to Step 5
• No, go to Step 3

Reject the RCA/HOM activity in Customer First when:

• a care recipient departed from home care before their means assessment is finalised, and
• the means assessment was not completed, for example, the information/documentation needed was not lodged

To reject, go to Benefit Action (BA) screen by typing BA in Super Key field. Select +Add New and complete the following fields:

• Benefit Type Code: will default to RCA
• Benefit Action: will default to REJ
• Notes: key 'REJ-OTH Customer departed from home care prior to means assessment completion'
• Reason: OTH - Other
• Select Save

After the RCA/HOM activity is finalised, record the departure date.

• Select the Customer Summary tile on the PD landing page and enter the CRN, select Go
• Select on the CRN under Search Results
• From Start screen, select RCA Reassessment
• Select RCA Specific Screens, then select Start
• Select RCIRC - Residential Care Assessment Circumstance, select Next
• Select the +Add button
• Key the Care type and Service name
• Key the Discharge date and Discharge reason from drop down box
• Select Save
• Enter Receipt Date and Channel, select Save
• Select Assess
• Check any warnings or errors on SWE screen and select Assess
• The Entitlements (ELD) screen will be displayed and confirm RCA/CAN
• Select Finish
• Update note with any extra information and select Finalise

Procedure ends here.

After coding all required updates, select Assess and the Errors (SWE) screen will display any errors/warnings that require action in the Message Log. These messages inform of the items that need to be resolved to prepare to finalise the claim.

On the SWE screen:

• review any warnings or errors appearing under Message Log
• Digital Assistant (DA) can be used to assist with resolving errors. Key the error message into the DA for help. See Using Digital Assistance Roxy in Process Direct
• resolve all warnings and errors
• select Assess for the SWE screen to display again
• select Assess again for the data to be sent to ISIS. Note: repeat the previous steps if more errors occurs

The RCAA Assessment Determination (RCAD) screen will display once all errors have been resolved.

RCAA Assessment Determination (RCAD) screen is displayed but not required for a home care means assessment.

Once checked, select Next to go to Entitlements (ELD) screen.

The Entitlements (ELD) screen displays the outcome of the assessment and payment dates. Ensure the details are correct:

• The first ATH line and RCA Benefit line have a 'Period End' date equal to the date of event (DOV) of the assessment
• any arrears or overpayments calculated are correct (based on DOV and date of receipt (DOR))

If required, check the following screens and make any necessary updates such as manual rate adjustments on the Daily Rate Component (RAC) and Daily Rates Summary (RATS) screens.

• Payment Delivery Summary (RAD)
• Payment Summary (PS)
• Rate Summary (RATS)
• Rate Component (RAC)
• Assessment Consequences (ASC)

Once the claim outcome is correct, select Finish

Claim finalisation note template will display and be available to update where required. Most information will be pre-populated from coding:

• Document if an update was made that differs from the details lodged (for example a care recipient failed to provide bank account balances on the Aged Care - Calculation of your cost of care form but later provides a verbal balance)
• When a verbal assessment was completed with changes coded, read the verbal declaration and document: verbal declaration has been read out and agreed to

Once note is complete, select Finalise.

Message will display status of means assessment.

Determine if action is needed:

• Complete any progress of claim DOCs or scans
• Check if further action is needed on the partner's record, including an outstanding means assessment
• If the means assessment is completed verbally and there is not a nominee recorded, issue an Authorising a person or organisation to enquire or act on your behalf form (SS313)
• See also Adding or rejecting a nominee request

When a care recipient has failed to provide information to complete the assessment, and they are in receipt of a means tested ISP, request required forms/documents under relevant payment type. See Verifying income and assets and Requesting information (CLK).

Complete the Aged care means assessment - preliminary checks including:

• action required when care recipient is RCA/CUR
• the system to complete the means assessment

Determine the date of event (DOV) for a home care means assessment - post-entry.

If care recipient has changed providers, ensure any discharge has been coded:

• cancel means assessment RCA/HOM activity on AL screen
• code discharge details on RCIRC screen and finalise via Assessment Results (AR) screen

Is this care recipient (or partner) in receipt of a means tested income support payment (ISP)?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, go to Step 3

Determine the correct date of receipt (DOR) to use for this means assessment. The correct DOR is required for both ISP and means assessment purposes.

Go to Step 4

The DOR used for a means assessment is the DOR of the auto activity or the DOR of the means assessment form, whichever is on the Activity List (AL) screen.

Go to Step 4

A care recipient not in receipt of a means tested income support payment must lodge an Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care including when they do not wish to disclose their means. See Aged care means assessment.

If no activity on the Activity List (AL) screen, index an RCA/HOM activity. See Indexing, re-indexing and cancelling claim activities.

Has a calculation of your cost of care been completed and not yet assessed for the RCA/HOM activity?

• Yes, go to Table 2
• No, to complete through:
• Verbal means assessment for an ISP customer, go to Step 5
• Auto RCA/HOM activity, go to Step 6

If a verbal assessment is requested by an authorised third party, see Accepting information from and disclosing information to a Power of Attorney.

When undertaking a verbal assessment ask the care recipient or third party if they want to:

• use their income details home care means assessment:
• Advise that maximum aged care fees may be payable if income details are not given
• Discuss when the care recipient's Customer First record was last updated:
• Update new information as needed
• If needed, use the questions on the Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care as a guide while on the phone with the care recipient
• If changes to circumstances are advised, and documentation is required to make these updates:
• request required forms/documents. See Verifying income and assets and Requesting information (CLK)
• issue an aged care RFI letter. See Aged care letters - creating manual letters
• create a Fast Note - select Auto text, use Aged care > Assessment > Progress of Aged Care Assessment
• document advice provided and what information has been requested

Can the home care means assessment be completed verbally?

• Yes, see Table 3
• No:
• advise an Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care is needed
• record contact using a Fast Note
• procedure ends here

For care recipients with a discharge from home care coded, see Table 4.

An automatic means assessment is completed for a care recipient who:

• had a home care means assessment for a previous home care package, and a break in care of less than 28 days,
• can use any valid means assessment when changing providers
• see Aged care means assessment - preliminary checks for information about assessment validity periods
• receives a means tested income support from the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) and is eligible for an automatic assessment
• receives a means tested income support from Centrelink and is eligible for an automatic assessment:
• an RCA/HOM activity is created in Customer First by the entry event received in ACMPS
• complete the RCA/HOM activity using the information currently held in Customer First
• is entering care or changing services within 120 days of a valid means assessment:
• check Document List (DL) for a previously completed means assessment, can also confirm on Benefit Status (XBS) screen if previously RCA/CUR
• check RMND screen for a pre entry assessment for Care Type: Home

Does the care recipient meet any of the above criteria?

• Yes, and:
• Services' Australia is responsible for the means assessment, go to Step 7
• DVA is responsible for the means assessment, go to Step 10
• No, go to Step 8

Finalise the RCA/HOM activity using the information held on record.

Before finalising the RCA/HOM activity:

• confirm from Aged Care Staff Portal or ACMPS the date care started
• update in Customer First:
• Complete the RCA/HOM activity with the details that are currently on record including the details of the new service on the RCIRC screen
• RCA Dependants (RDEP) screen if the care recipient has dependent child/ren
• Office Code (OC) screen: preferred service centre (if needed)
• Use Fast Note - select Auto Text, use Aged Care > Assessment > HOM Care Assessment - FIN to document the assessment outcome
• Link the Fast Note to the open RCA/HOM activity and finalise on AR
• Procedure ends here

Check the Correspondence search screen in ACSP for issued letter.

Did ACSP send a MND - First Notice letter to the care recipient?

• Yes, go to Step 9
• No, go to Aged care letters - creating manual letters
• Procedure ends here

Note: letters issued prior to 11 May 2024 were sent from ACMPS. In ACMPS, check the Communication History tab for issued letter.

Has the allowable time passed since the MND - First Notice letter was sent to the care recipient?

• Yes, finalise the means assessment as MND, see Table 4
• No:
• put the claim on hold for 21 days plus an allowance for the letter to be received from the date the letter is sent
• Procedure ends here

If the care recipient lodges an Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care form with Services Australia, send the form to DVA for completion. See Aged care means assessment - preliminary checks for more details.

Check ACSP or ACMPS for:

• means assessment data provided by DVA, and
• fees are set from the date of entry

Cancel the RCA/HOM activity in Customer First:

From the Started Aged Care assessment RCA/NCL activity on AL screen:

• Select (C) Cancel an activity
• Select, Continue
• On the Activity Cancel screen select, Yes - Cancel the activity
• Select, Continue. The RCA/NCL activity is now cancelled from AL screen

Record the action taken. Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Aged Care > Assessment > Aged Care MA Withdrawn/Cancelled.

Include the following:

• all actions taken to confirm responsibility
• details of any contacts with DVA
• action taken to restart matching in ACMPS
• entry event resent to DVA with the date and time this occurred

To complete, in:

• ACMPS, copy the Text details from Customer First DOC into ACMPS note
• Customer First:
• complete the work item if applicable
• cancel any associated scans/docs

If the Authorising a person or organisation to enquire or act on your behalf section on the Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care form has been completed, and all signatures/documentation are provided, see Adding or rejecting a nominee request to code a nominee. This nominee will be added to all aged care systems.

Refer to Person Permitted to Enquire (PPE) or Update (PPU) authority if a third party has been nominated as a:

• Person Permitted to Enquire (PPE), or
• Person Permitted to Update (PPU)

Confirm the Aged Care - Calculation of your cost of care form has been completed correctly and signed by the care recipient or authorised third party. See Aged care means assessment.

• Confirm documents provided by checking Document List (DL) and Document Tools
• Use the Aged Care - Calculation of your cost of care form 'checklist' to confirm all necessary supporting documentation is provided
• Use Verifying income and assets to determine if supporting documents are required
• If the Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care form has details of a partner not linked to the care recipient's record, and the partner has not signed the form, a Partner Details (MOD P) form is required. See Change in relationship status from single to partnered
• If the previous Complex Assessment Officers (CAO) assessment is within the last 12 months and is recorded on the Trust/Company Income/Assets Summary screen (TRCIAS) screen, no further referral is needed

Is more information needed to finalise the RCA/HOM activity?

• Yes, and the required information/documentation has:
• not previously been asked for, go to Step 3
• previously been asked for, go to Step 6
• No, see Table 3

Do not issue further request for information letters if:

• the care recipient departed from home care, and
• further supporting information is needed to complete the assessment

Has the care recipient departed from home care?

• Yes, go to Table 4
• No, go to Step 4

Genuine attempts to contact by phone should be made to discuss the request if this has not already occurred. Send a pre-call notification SMS if the customer or nominee is subscribed to electronic messaging. See Calling a customer or returning a customer's call.

Note: Although there is no obligation to give information verbally, advise the benefits and potential consequences of failing to provide information in the required time frame.

Can the outstanding details be collected verbally?

• Yes,
• Only verbal confirmation is required, see Table 3
• Supporting documentations is required, go to Step 5
• No, and:
• outbound call was unsuccessful, go to Step 5
• supporting documentation is required, go to Step 5
• the care recipient wants a written request for the information, go to Step 5
• the care recipient does not want to disclose their means, see Table 4

• Issue an aged care RFI letter, see Aged care letters - creating manual letters
• Create a Fast Note - select Auto Text, use Aged Care > Assessment > Progress of Aged Care Assessment with documents that have been requested
• Review the CAO Assessment Doc to make sure the most recent information is applied to the previous CAO assessment
• Complete a Complex Assessment Officer (CAO) referral (if needed)
• Place claim on hold for 21 days plus an allowance for the letter to be received for the care recipient to respond to the request
• Procedure ends here

If RFI was originally issued for a pre entry means assessment, the full timeframe for Series 2 letters is required, refer to Table 1 Step 8.

Is it 21 days plus an allowance to receive the notice since the RFI was issued to the care recipient?

• Yes, finalise the means assessment RCA/HOM activity, see Table 4
• No:
• Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Aged Care > Assessment > Progress of Aged Care Assessment with any action taken
• hold the means assessment RCA/HOM activity for remainder of the 21 days plus an allowance to receive the notice

If there is a partner to be added, a Partner details (MOD P) form is required. See update relationship status and link customer and partner records.

Dependent children mean that a care recipient will not have to pay to an income tested care fee (ITCF). Income details must still be maintained on the record. See Aged Care fees and charges - care subsidy reduction to zero.

If a care recipient has a dependent child in their care, on the RCA Dependants (RDEP) screen record:

• Number of Dependants Date of Event: DOV of means assessment
• Total Number of Dependants: enter number of dependent children

See the References page for a link to the Aged Care Act 1997 definition of a dependent child.

If the care recipient has provided a new home address, telephone details or alternate names:

• Select the RCA/HOM activity from the Activity List (AL) screen
• Go to the Contact Detail Task Selector (CDTS) screen
• Select Customer Details to update alternate names on Customer Person Detail (CPD) screen. See Changing the Legal name of customers or their children
• Select Address to update the care recipient's home address on the Address Details (AD) screen
• Update the contact number on the Telephone Details (TD) screen
• Update the email address on the Email Address (EMA) screen
• Check Office Code (OC) screen and change RCA back to home office

Update a postal address in Customer First when requested by:

• a care recipient
• a court appointed guardian or administrator
• a power of attorney (POA), or
• an existing Centrelink correspondence nominee, when the postal address is not the same as their own postal address

A postal address is not updated in Customer First when requested by:

• an existing Centrelink correspondence nominee, when the postal address is the same as their own postal address

For additional information on updating addresses (including postal) see:

• Updating address details
• Adding or rejecting a nominee request
• Aged care request for a nominee or executor
• Accepting information from and disclosing information to Power of Attorney

In Customer First, navigate to the RCIRC screen.

Check the details relevant to the assessment are recorded in the below fields:

• Admission Date
• DSS Require Income Details
• Date of Effect (DOE)

Finalise the means assessment as means not disclosed (MND) when a care recipient:

• has not provided an Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care
• after the initial request sent and no response received
• has not replied to a request for further information (RFI) letter, or
• chooses not to disclose their income details

Is the RCA/HOM activity going to be finalised as MND?

• Yes, see Step 1 in Table 6
• No, go to Step 3

For care recipients discharged from home care before their means assessment is finalised, the RCA/HOM activity is completed or rejected.

Check Aged Staff Portal (ACSP), Care recipient - Customer Summary for entry and departure coding

Check ACMPS - Assessments & Events tab > Entry and Departure Details.

Is a departure from home care coded?

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No, see Table 5

If a departed care recipient provides all information and supporting documentation, complete a means assessment for their entry into home care.

In the future, if they depart then re-enter home care within 120 days of the assessment being completed, the assessment remains valid and will be used for the new date of entry into care.

Is all required information/documentation available to complete the home care means assessment?

• Yes, see Step 2 in Table 5
• No, see Step 4 in Table 6

An Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care requests income information as at the date of event (DOV) of the aged care means assessment. Supporting documentation may include a history of income.

For multiple updates to income support payment (ISP) changes:

• the DOV should include the date of the change as stated in supporting documentation, and
• (if applicable) the date of receipt if further changes occurred

If the partner has recently died, do not contact the care recipient or correspondence nominee. See Bereavement reviews for further information on reviews following the death of a member of a couple.

Has the care recipient advised of any changes to income and assets details?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, go to Step 3

Care recipients getting an ISP can advise income and asset changes that occurred before the means assessment date of event (DOV). Code these changes as part of the means assessment. See Payment of arrears after reassessment

Refer to Verifying income and assets for details or documents required.

In Customer First:

• select the screens to update from Residential Care Task Selector (RCTS) screen, or
• manually go to them individually

Note: if data already exists on a screen, a Y will appear on the RCTS screen.

Check this data for accuracy.

The coding of income and assets for aged care purposes aligns with the Social Security Act 1991. See the below links for further information:

Coding income and assets for Centrelink payments and services

• Financial Investments
• Exempt income and assets for Centrelink payments
• Assessing deprivation/gifting
• Foreign income and assets
• Income streams
• Aged Care means assessment with total assessable assets equal to or greater than $10,000,000 (and applicable assessable income)

Does the care recipient (or their partner) get any income from employment?

• Yes, and care recipient (or partner):
• receives an ISP, go to Step 4
• does not receive an ISP, go to Step 5
• No, go to Step 6

Employment income reporting requirements for a care recipient (or partner) in receipt of an ISP:

• Statement reporter
• have employment income
• must advise of income, hours worked and any other changes on their reporting day
• Notification reporter
• no employment income or stable employment income and exception is met
• must advise starting work or any changes within 14 days
• Refer to Reporting overview

If this is the first time that the care recipient (or partner) is declaring income, see Recording and correcting employment income details.

Go to Step 6.

Care recipients not in receipt of an ISP:

• cannot update their income each fortnight as a non-continuous frequency such as Income for One Period (IOP)
• have their income assessed in the same way as a continuous income exception
• have regular income coded as 1WE (weekly) or 2 WE (fortnightly)
• have variable income averaged over a suitable period

See Determining the Date of Event for employment income for help coding income.

If no DVA income has been declared for aged care means assessment purposes, go to Step 7

If the care recipient has declared a DVA payment is received check the Department of Veterans' Affairs Summary (DVAS) screen for DVA coding.

Is the DVA payment/benefit coded correctly on DVAS screen:

• Yes, go to Step 7
• No:
• Referral required to DVA Clearance Team
• Go to Payments from the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) and referrals to the DVA Clearance Team for referral and fast note information
• Place the claim on hold for 5 days pending return
• Procedure ends here until DVA clearance team have completed coding

Update the Real Estate and Business (REBS) screen if the care recipient indicates:

• rental income for their own home or other real estate
• income from a business - sole trader or partnership
• an involvement in a Private Company or Private Trust (including Special Disability Trust)

Does the care recipient have income from any of the above?

• Yes, go to Step 8
• No, go to Step 11

Does the care recipient (or partner) receive rental income from real estate, including their principal home?

• Yes, go to Step 9
• No, go to Step 10

For help with coding rental income, see Assessing and coding the Real estate details Mod R, and Income from boarders and lodgers.

• Add new property details:
• Update rental income
• Code asset value as $0
• For care recipients in receipt of a means tested ISP, issue a Real estate details form (Mod R) (see the Resources page for a link to the form). See Requesting information (CLK)
• Update existing property details:
• Update rental income
• Do not change the previously coded asset value

When a care recipient (or partner) receives income from a business, any income from the business will be included in the home care means assessment. If previously recorded business income has now changed, see Changes to income and assets from a business structure.

Does the care recipient (or partner) receive income from a sole trader business or a partnership?

• Yes, code income only then, go to Step 11
• For sole trader business coding, see Sole traders
• For business partnership coding, see Partnerships
• No, go to Step 11

Does the care recipient have an interest in a private trust or private company?

• Yes, go to Step 12
• No, see Table 6

If the care recipient (or partner) has an interest in a private trust or private company check if a CAO assessment has been completed within the last 12 months. A new referral may not be required.

Check the Document List (DL) for a Completed CAO Assessment DOC and review the CAO Assessment Doc to make sure the most recent information is applied to the previous CAO assessment.

Has the most recent CAO referral been completed within the last 12 months?

• Yes, a new referral is not required, go to Table 6
• No,
• see Trusts or Companies for details on documents needed for and Complex Assessment Officer (CAO) referrals
• see Identifying and making suitable referrals to the Complex Assessment Officer (CAO) for information on referring to a CAO for assessment
• go to Step 13

• Use the CAO Referral guided procedure to complete in the RCA system
• Place the claim on hold for 28 days pending return from the CAO
• The CAO will document their assessment on the care recipient record
• The assessment may include coding instructions for the actioning Service Officer
• When the CAO assessment is complete, go to Table 6

Has the care recipient departed from home care before the completion of this means assessment?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, go to Step 5

To retain entry information in the Customer First record, the RCA/HOM activity is finalised for all departed care recipients.

Was the means assessment able to be completed?

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No, go to Step 3

Reject the RCA/HOM activity in Customer First when:

• a care recipient departed from home care before their means assessment is finalised, and
• the means assessment was not completed, for example, the information/documentation needed was not lodged

To reject:

• Key 'S' to select the RCA/HOM activity
• Navigate to BA screen to reject the RCA/HOM:
• Key RCA in the SVC RSN field
• Key REJ in the Action field
• Key OTH in the Reason field
• Enter the date of event/entry (DOV) in the Effect Date field
• Notes: REJ-OTH Customer departed from home care prior to means assessment completion
• Select Auto Text > Aged Care > Assessment > Aged Care MA Rejected Other to record the action taken

After the RCA/HOM activity is finalised, record the discharge information in Customer First.

• Navigate to the RCIRC screen:
• Add the departure date into the Discharge Date field. This is the Departure Date recorded in the Aged Care Staff Portal (ACSP) or ACMPS
• Key ? in the Discharge Reason field. Select the reason that most closely matches the Departure Reason coded in ACSP or ACMPS
• Complete the activity
• Annotate the Aged Care > Assessment Fast Note with the discharge details
• Procedure ends here

Finalise the means assessment as means not disclosed (MND) when the care recipient:

• has not provided an Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care (after the initial request sent), or
• has not replied to an Aged Care Request for Information (RFI) letter sent, or
• chooses not to disclose their information

Is this assessment being finalised as MND?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, go to Step 7

Care recipients pay the full amount for the cost of their care if a means assessment is finalised as MND.

Before finalising the means assessment as MND, check if the care recipient has a current means assessment completed by the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA). Check means assessment data in:

• ACSP:
• Means testing
• Means testing current summary
• ACMPS:
• Means Testing Data tab
• Means Tested Assessments tab

If this entry event is due to a care recipient changing responsibility from DVA to Services Australia, do not complete as MND. See Aged Care means assessment - preliminary checks for more details.

In Customer First, go to the RCA Means Test Details (RMND) screen within the RCA/HOM activity and key (I) the following:

• Upper section of RMND:
• Means Not Disclosed Date of Event: code date of entry into care
• Means Not Disclosed Indicator: code Y

When the RCA/HOM activity coding is complete, exit and attach a Fast Note to record the assessment outcome.

Access the Fast Note workflow and complete the following fields:

• Who contacted: CUS- Customer or CSO - Customer Service Officer
• Service Reason: RCA
• Date of receipt: code todays date
• Channel: select from the drop down
• Source: select from drop down

Use Fast Note:

• Finalised claims - select Auto Text > Aged Care > Assessment > HOM Care Assessment - FIN to document the assessment outcome
• Rejected claims - select Auto Text > Aged Care > Assessment > Aged Care MA Rejected OTHER to record the action taken

Link the Fast Note to the open RCA/HOM activity.

Complete applicable fields of the Fast Note including all relevant detail. For example:

• when a verbal assessment was completed with changes coded. Read the verbal declaration and document it was agreed to
• If an update was made that differs from the information lodged (for example a care recipient failed to provide bank account balances on the Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care but later provides a verbal balance)

The DOV recorded in the Fast Note should match RCA Circumstance (RCIRC) date of entry coding.

When the Fast Note is complete:

• select 'S' RCA/HOM activity from Activity List (AL) screen and navigate to the AR screen
• Check results of assessment on AR:
• the first ATH line and RCA Benefit line have a 'Period End' date equal to the date of event (DOV) of the assessment
• any arrears or overpayments calculated are correct (based on DOV and date of receipt (DOR))

Determine if action is needed:

• Complete any progress of claim DOCs or scans
• Check if further action is needed on the partner's record, including and outstanding RCA/HOM activity
• If the means assessment is completed verbally and there is not a nominee recorded, issue an Authorising a person or organisation to enquire or act on your behalf form (SS313)
• See also Adding or rejecting a nominee request
• When a care recipient has failed to provide information to complete the assessment, and they are in receipt of a means tested ISP, request required forms/documents under relevant payment type. Refer to Verifying income and assets and Requesting information (CLK)