Aged care means assessment - Support at Home post-entry 065-18082138

Work item is allocated to Service Officer.

The following message shows when an auto entry event activity exists.

Customer has an existing RCA activity started in ISIS.

Does this message show?

• Yes, Service Officers must complete this assessment in Customer First, and use Process Direct to:
• issue any Request for Information (RFI) if required. See Aged care letters - creating manual letters, and
• update the status of the transaction to Not Required and go to the Customer First tab to complete means assessment
• No, go to Step 2

As no message exists complete the Aged care means assessment - preliminary checks. This includes 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, check any discharge has been coded:
• Cancel RCA/HOM activity on Activity List (AL) screen
• Code discharge details on the Residential Care Assessment Circumstance (RCIRC) screen and finalise through the Assessment Results (AR) screen

If the DOV for means assessment is before the date of death of the customer's partner, handover to Customer First is required. See Table 1 in Aged care means assessment - preliminary checks for this scenario and hand over function.

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

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

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

Go to Step 5.

The DOR used for a means assessment is whichever is on the AL screen, the DOR of the:

• auto activity, or
• means assessment form

Go to Step 5.

A care recipient not in receipt of a means tested ISP 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.

Note: if a care recipient has reached a lifetime cap and then change services, they will still be issued with requests for means assessment to give them the option to complete a new means assessment if their circumstances have changed. See Aged Care fees and payments – annual and lifetime caps.

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

• Yes,
• if care recipient is Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) responsibility, go to Step 7
• otherwise, see Table 2
• No,
• verbal means assessment for an ISP customer, go to Step 6
• auto RCA/HOM activity with keyword MTANOTRQ, go to Step 8
• auto RCA/HOM activity, go to Step 9

The completion of verbal means assessments can only occur for care recipients who receive a means tested ISP.

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

When undertaking a verbal assessment:

• tell the care recipient or third party:
• their income and/or assets details will be used to complete a Support at Home means assessment, and
• maximum aged care fees may be payable if income and/or asset details are not given
• discuss when the care recipient's record was last updated:
• update new details 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 the care recipient has advised of changes to circumstances, 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 Table 4 in Aged care letters - creating manual letters
• use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Aged care > Assessment > Progress of Aged Care Assessment
• document advice provided and what detail has been requested

Can the Support at Home 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 details on 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

In ACMPS, copy the text details from Customer First DOC into ACMPS Note.

If there is a started activity with MTANOTRQ in the Keywords icon, this means the Automatic assessment has failed.

To process these activities:

• confirm from ACSP or ACMPS the date care started
• select the RCA/HOM activity and go to Errors (SWE) screen

Means assessment can be completed, see Table 3.

Check the Correspondence search screen in ACSP for issued letter.

A care recipient will be issued with the following letters:

• MND - Initial Request Letter (HC61)
• MND - Second Request Letter (HC61)

Have both MND request letters been issued to the care recipient?

• Yes, go to Step 10
• No,
• go to Aged care letters - creating manual letters. Note: letters issued before 11 May 2024 were sent from ACMPS. In ACMPS, check the Communication History tab for the issued letter
• procedure ends here

Has the allowable time passed since the MND - First Notice letter and MND - Second request letters were sent to the care recipient?

• Yes, finalise the means assessment as MND, see Table 3
• No, required number of days have not lapsed. Keep the means assessment RCA/NCL on hold:
• MND - Initial Request Letter (HC61) - 21 days from date of letter issue
• MND - Second Request Letter (HC61) - 14 days plus a time allowed to receive the letter from date of letter issue
• Update notes of activity to state why activity is being held, no DOC required
• procedure ends here

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.

See 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 checklist in the Aged Care - Calculation of your cost of care form to confirm all necessary supporting documentation is provided
• Use Verifying income and assets to determine if supporting documents are required
• A Partner Details (MOD P) form is 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
• 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 (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 has departed from all care types with their Support at Home service provider, and
• further supporting information is needed to complete the assessment

Has the care recipient departed from all Support at Home care types?

• Yes, see Table 4
• No, go to Step 4

Service Officers must make genuine attempts to contact by phone 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 still 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 Table 4 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 3
• No:
• code DL in Super Key or select Notes to annotate existing Fast Note or go to Customer First to create new Fast Note - select Auto Text, use 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

Check for an existing aged care means assessment from a scanned form or an existing entry event in Process Direct.

Select the:

• Transaction Icon
• Transaction hyperlink to view details of means assessment

To identify if the means assessment was created by a scanned form or an auto entry event, see Table 3 on the Resources page in Aged care means assessment - preliminary checks.

If no existing transaction or 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: Support at Home
• select Create Claim
• the Circumstance Data screen shows

If there is a partner to add, a Partner details (MOD P) form is required. See Table 2 in Change in relationship status from single to partnered.

For more details see:

• Change in relationship status from single to partnered, or
• Change in relationship status from partnered to single

Before selecting Process, Service Officers must:

• complete claim pre-checks
• update relationship details, and
• issue Requests for Information

Relationship status cannot be changed after selecting Process, as this will cause errors. If relationship status needs updating after selecting Process, the assessments will need to be regenerated. See Process Direct navigation, common screens and functions.

After completing any updates to Partner Details (MS), select Process.

The following task selectors will show:

• Aged Care (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 show. Select required screens to complete a Support at Home means assessment:

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

Select Next.

Check existing entries on the RMND screen:

• delete any previous entries in the Reform Enquiry Means Test field on the RMND screen
• if MND was previously coded as ‘Yes’, this may need updating to ‘No’ or blank
• if means assessment is not being finalised as means not disclosed (MND), go to Step 5

For a Support at Home entry from 1 November 2025, a care recipient can elect to not disclose their means and when their means testing information is provided at a later date, the date of effect will be the day they withdraw the MND election. For example the date of receipt of the means information and cannot be equal to their date of entry.

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 and asset details

If the care recipient chooses not to disclose their means or has not responded to a request to lodge an Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care form, from the Means not disclosed table:

• select the Add button
• a prompt box opens
• Key the Event date: date of entry
• select 'Yes' from the dropdown menu
• Elected means not disclosed field will appear for entries post 1 November 2025
• Select 'Yes' if the care recipient has elected to be Means not disclosed in writing
• Select 'No' for any other MND reason
• Save

Once completed, select Next.

If the entry details are populated in the Event Notification Details:

• Select the confirm button in details confirmation
• Check the details match the entry in the Aged Care Staff Portal (ACSP)
• If details do not match:
• Select Edit

To record entry details on the RCIRC screen:

• Institution Details:
• Select Add
• Key the Service name
• Key the admission date
• Select Save to update this information
• Income Test Details:
• Select Add
• Select ‘Yes’ from the dropdown menu
• Key the admission date
• Grandfathered Details: confirm date of effect is correct

Once completed, select Next.

If the assessment is being finalised as means not disclosed (MND), see Table 6.

For home care and Post 2014 scheme care recipients, dependent children mean that a care recipient will not have to pay an income tested care fee (ITCF). Income details must still be kept on the record. See Aged Care fees and charges - care subsidy reduction to zero.

For Post 2025 scheme care recipients, dependent children will not exempt a care recipient from contributing to the cost of their care. Dependent children will affect the income threshold used in calculation of contributions and are still coded.

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

• Select Add
• Key the Date of Event
• Select the number children from the dropdown 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.

Is a departure from Support at Home 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 Support at Home.

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

Is all required information/documentation available to complete the Support at Home means assessment?

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

Select required screens to update from the list shown:

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

Or check Select all tasks.

Service Officers must update Partner Details before they start processing the assessment. Once started, no changes can be made.

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 Back
• Select > 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 Reference Number (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
• court appointed guardian or administrator
• power of attorney (POA), or
• an existing Centrelink correspondence nominee when the postal address is different from their own postal address

A postal address is not updated when requested by existing Centrelink correspondence nominee (NOC), when the postal address is the same as the Centrelink correspondence nominee's own postal address.

For more details 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 a Power of Attorney

To add new address details:

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

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
• Check Indigenous Identifier on Other Contact Details (OCD) screen:
• If details are unknown and the field is blank
• Select Add
• Key the admission date in start date
• Select ‘Do not wish to answer’ from the dropdown menu
• Select Save to update this information

Record a Fast Note that includes details of the executor and that the authority is pending evidence, if the customer:

• was receiving aged care
• has a benefit status of RCA/CUR or RCA/CAN-DEA, and
• executor details have been provided

If evidence has been supplied, record executor details, Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Aged Care > Enquiry > Executor Details.

Acceptable evidence includes:

• Copy of the Will
• Letters of Administration
• Court order or similar document
• Letter from the legal representative of the executor or administrator of the estate

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 more details 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, and
• 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 show 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 more details 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 (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
• 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 details
• Place the claim on hold for 5 days pending return
• Procedure ends here until DVA clearance team have completed coding

Update the REBS screen if the care recipient indicates:

• they own their own home, and it is on greater than 2 hectares/5 acres of land
• rental income is being received from real estate other than the principal home
• rental income is being received on a separate dwelling/self-contained area on the same title as their principal home
• an interest in:
• real estate other than the principal home
• a business partnership, a farm or from operating as a sole trader
• a private trust or private company

Do any of these apply to the care recipient?

• Yes, go to Step 8
• No, see Table 6

Does the care recipient's principal home include land greater than 2 hectares/5 acres?

• Yes, see Assessing house and curtilage for help with assessing the principal home. If it meets criteria for extended land use exemption, go to Step 9
• No, go to Step 10

Does the principal home and surrounding land meet the criteria for an extended land use exemption?

• Yes:
• On the REBS screen, key current market value of the whole property and house, and curtilage value of the home and first 2 hectares. See Table 2 in Assessing and coding real estate details
• Key the 'RCA Former Principal Home' indicator as 'Y' to stop the value of the home and property being assessed twice in the means assessment of assets
• Go to Step 10
• No:
• Record land that does not meet the extended land use exemption criteria on REBS using 'Real Estate / Business Type' - HMB.
• Do not record the 'RCA Former Principal Home' indicator for Self-Funded Retirees
• Complete estimate check, including a valuation request if needed. See Aged care means assessment - home ownership and real estate estimates for more details
• Go to Step 10

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

• Yes,
• income from principal home, go to Step 11
• income from real estate, go to Step 12
• No, go to Step 13

Support at Home care recipients remain in their homes whilst care is provided.

For help with coding and information on how to assess income received by a care recipient from boarders and/or lodgers living in the care recipient’s principal home, see Income from boarders and lodgers.

If the care recipient has an interest in any real estate or rental income is being received on a separate dwelling/self-contained area on the same title as their principal home

• complete a real estate estimate check, see Aged care means assessment - home ownership and real estate estimates
• key real estate income and assets on the REBS screen, see Assessing and coding the Real estate details

When a care recipient (or partner) has an interest in a business, the means assessment includes any income and assets of the business. If income and assets of a business have changed, see Changes to income and assets from a business structure.

Does the care recipient (or partner) have any interest in a sole trader business or a partnership?

• Yes:
• Sole trader business coding, see  Sole traders
• Business partnership coding, see Partnerships
• No, go to Step 14

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

• Yes, go to Step 15
• No, see Table 6

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

Check the Document List (DL) screen 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 CAO referrals
• See Identifying and making suitable referrals to the Complex Assessment Officer (CAO) for details on referring to a CAO for assessment
• If a new referral is required, go to Step 16

To complete a new CAO referral:

• Select Back to return to Customer and activity information
• Select > 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 Support at Home 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 Support at Home 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 Support at Home before 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 Process Direct landing page and key the Customer Reference Number (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 dropdown menu
• Select Save
• Key Receipt Date and Channel, select Save
• Select Assess
• Check any warnings or errors on Errors (SWE) screen and select Assess
• The Entitlements (ELD) screen will show 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 SWE screen will show any errors/warnings in the Message Log to action. 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 help resolve errors. Key the error message into the DA. See Using Digital Assistance Roxy in Process Direct
• resolve all warnings and errors
• select Assess for the SWE screen to show again
• select Assess again to send the data to ISIS.
  Note: repeat the previous steps if more errors occur

The Aged Care Income and Assets Summary (ACIAS) screen will show once all errors have been resolved.

The ACIAS screen will show and display all income and assets that are currently being used to calculate a contribution rate. Confirm that this reflects current income and/or income and assets for the care recipient.

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

The Entitlements (ELD) screen shows the outcome of the assessment and payment dates.

Check 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 show and be available to update where required. Most information will pre-populate 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 show 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 income support payment, 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 Support at Home means assessment - post-entry.

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

• cancel means assessment RCA/HOM activity on Activity List (AL) screen
• code discharge details on the Residential Care Assessment Circumstance (RCIRC) screen and finalise through 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 whichever is on the AL screen, the DOR of the:

• auto activity, or
• means assessment form

Go to Step 4.

A care recipient not in receipt of a means tested ISP 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 AL screen, index an RCA/HOM activity. See Indexing, re-indexing and cancelling claim activities.

Note: if a care recipient has reached a lifetime cap and then change services, they will still be issued with requests for means assessment to give them the option to complete a new means assessment if their circumstances have changed. See Aged Care fees and payments – annual and lifetime caps.

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

• Yes, see 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 and asset details for their Support at Home means assessment:
• Advise that maximum aged care fees may be payable if income and asset 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
• use 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 Support at Home 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 Support at Home coded, see Table 4

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

• had a Support at Home means assessment for a previous Support at Home 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 details 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 Residential care assessment - means test details (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 ACSP 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 the AR screen
• Procedure ends here

Check the Correspondence search screen in ACSP for issued letter.

A care recipient will be issued with the following letters:

• MND - Initial Request Letter (HC61)
• MND - Second Request Letter (HC61)

Have both MND request letters been issued to the care recipient?

• Yes, go to Step 10
• No,
• go to Aged care letters - creating manual letters. Note: letters issued before 11 May 2024 were sent from ACMPS. In ACMPS, check the Communication History tab for the issued letter
• procedure ends here

Has the allowable time passed since the MND - First Notice letter and MND – Second request letters were sent to the care recipient?

• Yes, finalise the means assessment as MND, see Table 3
• No, required number of days have not lapsed. Keep the means assessment RCA/NCL on hold:
• MND - Initial Request Letter (HC61) - 21 days from date of letter issue
• MND - Second Request Letter (HC61) - 14 days plus a time allowed to receive the letter from date of letter issue
• Update notes of activity to state why activity is being held, no DOC required
• 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 the 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 the 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.

See 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
• Verifying income and assets to determine if supporting documents are required
• A Partner Details (MOD P) form is 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
• 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 (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 all care types with their Support at Home service provider, and
• further supporting information is needed to complete the assessment

Has the care recipient departed from all Support at Home care types?

• Yes, see Table 4
• No, go to Step 4

Service Officers must make genuine attempts to contact by phone 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
• Use 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 Complex Assessment Officer (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 request for further information (RFI) was originally issued for a pre entry means assessment, the full timeframe for Series 2 letters is required, see 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 add, a Partner details (MOD P) form is required. See update relationship status and link customer and partner records.

For home care and Post 2014 scheme care recipients, dependent children mean that a care recipient will not have to pay an income tested care fee (ITCF). Income details must still be kept on the record. See Aged Care fees and charges - care subsidy reduction to zero.

For Post 2025 scheme care recipients, dependent children will not exempt a care recipients from contributing to the cost of their care. Dependent child/ren will affect the income threshold used in calculation of contributions and are still coded.

If the customer has indicated that they have dependent children, under the RCA Dependents (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
• 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
• 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
• court appointed guardian or administrator
• power of attorney (POA), or
• an existing Centrelink correspondence nominee when the postal address is different from 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 more details 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, go to the Residential Care Assessment Circumstance (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 and asset details

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

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

For care recipients discharged from Support at Home before their means assessment is finalised, the RCA/HOM activity is completed or rejected. Check:

• ACSP, Care recipient - Customer Summary for entry and departure coding
• ACMPS - Assessments & Events tab > Entry and Departure Details

Is a departure from Support at Home 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 Support at Home.

In the future, if they depart then re-enter Support at Home 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 Support at Home means assessment?

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

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 further changes occurred, the Date of Receipt

If the partner has recently died, do not contact the care recipient or correspondence nominee. See Bereavement reviews for more details 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.

See 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

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 more details:

• 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
• 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:

• 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 details
• Place the claim on hold for 5 days pending return
• Procedure ends here until DVA clearance team have completed coding

Update the REBS screen if the care recipient indicates:

• they own their own home, and it is on greater than 2 hectares/5 acres of land
• rental income is being received from real estate other than the principal home
• rental income is being received on a separate dwelling/self-contained area on the same title as their principal home
• an interest in:
• real estate other than the principal home
• a business partnership, a farm or from operating as a sole trader
• a private trust or private company

Do any of these apply to the care recipient?

• Yes, go to Step 8
• No, see Table 6

Does the care recipient's principal home include land greater than 2 hectares/5 acres?

• Yes, see Assessing house and curtilage for help with assessing the principal home. If it meets criteria for extended land use exemption, go to Step 9
• No, go to Step 10

Does the principal home and surrounding land meet the criteria for an extended land use exemption?

• Yes:
• On the REBS screen, key current market value of the whole property and house, and curtilage value of the home and first 2 hectares. See Table 2 in Assessing and coding real estate details
• Key the 'RCA Former Principal Home' indicator as 'Y' to stop the value of the home and property being assessed twice in the means assessment of assets
• Go to Step 10
• No:
• Record land that does not meet the extended land use exemption criteria on REBS using 'Real Estate / Business Type' - HMB.
• Do not record the 'RCA Former Principal Home' indicator for Self-Funded Retirees
• Complete estimate check, including a valuation request if needed. See Aged care means assessment - home ownership and real estate estimates for more details
• Go to Step 10

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

• Yes,
• income from principal home, go to Step 11
• income from real estate, go to Step 12
• No, go to Step 13

Support at Home care recipients remain in their homes whilst care is provided.

For help with coding and information on how to assess income received by a care recipient from boarders and/or lodgers living in the care recipient’s principal home, see Income from boarders and lodgers

If the care recipient has an interest in any real estate or rental income is being received on a separate dwelling/self-contained area on the same title as their principal home

• complete a real estate estimate check, see Aged care means assessment - home ownership and real estate estimates
• key real estate income and assets on the REBS screen, see Assessing and coding the Real estate details

When a care recipient (or partner) has an interest in a business, the means assessment includes any income and assets of the business. If income and assets of a business have changed, see Changes to income and assets from a business structure.

Does the care recipient (or partner) have any interest in a sole trader business or a partnership?

• Yes:
• Sole trader business coding, see Sole traders
• Business partnership coding, see Partnerships
• No, go to Step 14

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

• Yes, go to Step 15
• No, see Table 6

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

Check the Document List (DL) screen 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, see Table 6
• No, see:
• Trusts or Companies for details on documents needed for and CAO referrals
• Identifying and making suitable referrals to the Complex Assessment Officer (CAO) for details on referring to a CAO for assessment, go to Step 16

• Use the CAO Referral guided procedure to complete in the Residential Care System (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, see Table 6

Has the care recipient departed from Support at Home 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 Support at Home 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
• Go to Benefit Action (BA) screen to reject the RCA/HOM, Key:
• RCA in the SVC RSN field
• REJ in the Action field
• OTH in the Reason field
• the date of event/entry (DOV) in the Effect Date field
• Notes: REJ-OTH Customer departed from Support at Home before means assessment completion
• Use Fast Note - select Auto Text, use 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.

Go to the RCIRC screen:

• Add the departure date into the Discharge Date field. This is the Departure Date recorded in the 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 was 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.

Check existing entries on the RMND screen:

• delete any previous entries in the Reform Enquiry Means Test field on the RMND screen
• if MND was previously coded as ‘Yes’, this may need updating to ‘No’ or blank

For a Support at home entry from 1 November July 2025, a care recipient can elect to not disclose their means and when their means testing information is provided at a later date, the date of effect will be the day they withdraw the MND election e.g. the date of receipt of the means information and cannot be equal to their date of entry.

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 and assets 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 dropdown menu
• Source: select from dropdown menu

Use Fast Note:

• Finalised claims - select Auto Text, use Aged Care > Assessment > HOM Care Assessment - FIN to document the assessment outcome
• Rejected claims - select Auto Text, use 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 go to the Assessment Results (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 income support payment, request required forms/documents under relevant payment type. See Verifying income and assets and Requesting information (CLK)