Home Care Package Fees

The Home Care Package program has two fees associated with it. These are called the Basic Daily Care Fee, which is applicable to anyone accessing a Home Care Package, and the Income Tested Care Fee, which is applicable to people whose income is higher than the maximum aged pension rates. 

Both types of fees are paid across a daily basis, and unlike CHSP, are not payable only on the days you receive a service. The Department of Health & Aged Care have developed a factsheet to assist in understanding fees in Home Care. 

Basic Daily Care Fee (BDCF)

The BDCF applies to anyone accessing a Home Care Package and your provider may ask you to pay this, although over the years, this has become less common. If a BDCF is paid, the amount is added to the subsidy received, which in turn increases the budget available to spend on your care and services. 

The current rates for the Basic Daily Care Fee are:

• Home care - level 1 package -  $11.43 per day
• Home care - level 2 package - $12.08 per day
• Home care - level 3 package - $12.42 per day
• Home care - level 4 package - $12.75 per day

If this is not paid, only the subsidy and any applicable supplements form the income. The Department reviews the fees twice each year, in March and September. 

Income Tested Care Fee (ITF)

The ITF is different for everyone as it is based on the income that is above the aged pension. If you are a part pensioner or a self funded retiree accessing a Home Care Package, an ITF is likely to be payable. If you are approved for a Home Care Package and are waiting, you can apply for your income to be assessed ahead of time to understand the ITF that you will be required to pay. You can find the assessment application form below to download and complete. 

The Department of Health & Aged Care have some example scenarios on their website to assist in understanding the ITF. 

If an ITF is payable and an assessment application is not submitted, the Department will automatically apply the second daily cap rates. 

The subsidy paid by the Department for Home Care Packages is reduced at the same amount the ITF is payable. For example, if you were required to pay $5.70 per day, the subsidy payable is reduced by the same amount. The collection of the ITF is important as providers are required to provide services up to and including the full subsidy rate. 

There are annual and lifetime caps applicable to Income Tested Care Fees and the Department reviews these every three months. Should your ITF amount that is payable change, both you and your rpvider will receive a letter advising of this. It is not uncommon for ITF amounts to reduce, especially where a person's income has sat just above a threshold at the time of an assessment.