HCP Inclusions and Exclusions

The Home Care Package program is designed to provide coordinated care and services that help older people to live safely and independently in their own home as long as it is safe and appropriate to do so. 

Home Care Package providers are required to ensure they operate within the legislation and associated guidelines at all times, and a common theme amongst providers is the level of complaints received due to what can or can't be funded through the Home Care Package. 

Anything funded through the Home Care Package must be deemed appropriate, be part of your care plan and not be subsidised by another program. In addition, it cannot be an item listed under the Excluded Items list. 

Some common examples are listed below:

Reimbursement for travel via a taxi

Your provider may agree to reimburse you for travel by taxi, however this cannot be subsidised through the Taxi Subsidy Scheme with the remainder funded by your Home Care Package as it is already being subsidised. Your provider may assist you with your transport needs by providing someone to transport you to appointments etc, or they may provide a CabCharge card to assist with your transport needs. In doing so, this must be documented clearly in your care plan as to the need and how / why this is being met. 

Payment of Delivered Meals

Delivered meals may be appropriate where you are no longer able to cook for yourself due to age related decline. However, the Home Care Package funding is not able to fund food. Most delivered meal providers offer a split invoice, which separates out the cost of preparation, administration and delivery from the raw ingredient cost. Typically, this is a 70 / 30% split, resulting in the Home Care Package funding 70% and you paying an invoice directly to the meals provider for the 30%. In doing so, this must be documented clearly in your care plan as to the need and how / why this is being met. 

Payment for Gardening

General lawn maintenance can be funded through your Home Care Package. The program isn't designed to fund other work or associated items with this. For example, you may wish to have the garden bed mulched at a certain time of the year. This cannot be funded, however the labour can. As such, you would be responsible for the purchase and delivery costs for obtaining the mulch, whilst the Gardener could provide a service funded through your Home Care Package to complete the work required. 

See the Home Care Packages Program Manual for Care Recipients, which includes information on inclusions and exclusions.