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Aged care means assessment - home care pre-entry 065-18082330

Before starting this process, staff must read the Operational Message.



This document outlines the process for completing a home care means assessment before a care recipient enters care.

Pre-entry home care means assessment

A care recipient can choose to have a means assessment before starting a home care package.

Pre-entry means assessment:

  • Determines what fees the care recipient needs to pay if they start receiving a home care package
  • Only income is assessed
  • The care recipient and nominee (if applicable) receive a letter with a summary of the income used to calculate the basic daily fee (BDF) and/or income tested care fee (ICTF) payable if they enter care

    Income from real estate and business

    Home care recipients do not need to provide asset information for any real estate or business interests. However, they do need to provide information about:

    • rental income received from real estate (including their principal home)
    • income received from a sole trader or partnership

    Note: Current income and assets details for real estate and businesses should already exist in Customer First where the care recipient (or their partner) receive a means tested income support payment.

    Income from private trusts and companies

    Where a care recipient has an interest in a private trust and/or private company, they must:

    • complete a Private Trust form (MOD PT), and/or
    • a Private Company form (MOD PC)
    • provide all supporting documentation

    Note: these documents are needed for referral to a Complex Assessment Officer (CAO).

    The Resources page contains links to:

    • the aged care fee calculator
    • forms
    • letter templates, and
    • Services Australia and Department of Health and Aged Care websites

    Accepting information from and disclosing information to a Power of Attorney

    Adding or rejecting a nominee request

    Aged Care – Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC)

    Aged care letters

    Aged care letters – creating manual letters

    Aged care means assessment

    Aged care means assessment – preliminary checks

    Aged care request for a nominee or executor

    Aged care reviews - reassessments and updates

    Assessing the Partner details (MOD P)

    Assessing and coding the Real estate details Mod R

    Indexing, re-indexing and cancelling claim activities

    Coding income and assets for Centrelink

    Creating, reviewing and deleting documents (including Fast Notes and DOA DOCs)

    Exempt lump sums

    General notification provisions and exceptions

    Identifying and making suitable referrals to the Complex Assessment Officer (CAO)

    Income from boarders and lodgers

    National Redress Scheme overview

    Person Permitted to Enquire (PPE) or Update (PPU) authority

    Updating address details

    Verifying income and assets