Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians) Share this | Hansard source

I thank colleagues for their contributions on the Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Improved Home Care Payment Administration No. 1) Bill 2020. This bill amends the way that home-care providers are paid the government subsidy, to address stakeholder concerns regarding unspent funds and to align home-care arrangements with other government programs, such as the National Disability Insurance Scheme. This bill will amend the legislation such that an approved provider of home care will not receive payment in advance but will be paid the monthly subsidy for a home-care recipient on lodgement of a claim with Services Australia after the end of each month.

The government has introduced a second bill, which will amend the legislation such that home-care providers will only be paid subsidy for services rendered to a care recipient during a month, with Services Australia retaining the unspent subsidy for which a care recipient is eligible in each month. This unspent subsidy will be available for a provider to drawdown on behalf of a care recipient as services are provided in future. Again, I thank members for their contribution to the bill. I commend the bill to the Senate.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.