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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-02-18 Daily Xml
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Answers to Questions

DOMICILIARY CARE

In reply to the Hon. R.I. LUCAS (8 May 2008).

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Road Safety, Minister for Gambling, Minister Assisting the Minister for Multicultural Affairs): The Minister for Ageing has provided the following information:

Changes to the domiciliary care schedule of fees were made by Domiciliary Care SA as part of an internal review of the fees system that was introduced in 2000. Extensive consultation was conducted with Domiciliary Care SA's Consumer Advisory Committee, consumer reference groups and a telephone survey. This was undertaken to gauge the potential impact of the proposed changes. Those clients consulted were accepting of the proposed changes. The changes will provide a more equitable fees system for clients and will also result in a reduction in administrative processes.

Prior to this review, clients who did not have private health insurance may not have been eligible for an 'expenditure waiver' and other clients that could afford to pay for private health insurance would have been eligible for an 'expenditure waiver'. This was viewed as inequitable and has now been changed. Private health insurance is no longer included in the list of items that can be claimed for an 'expenditure waiver'.

The removal of private health insurance as a claimable expense at the time affected 1,760 existing clients. These clients have been encouraged to reapply for a waiver of fees under the new criteria.

1,540 clients had been issued with waiver renewal forms up to 28 November 2008. 903 clients (60 per cent) had been approved with a financial ongoing waiver. 484 clients (30 per cent) had either not reapplied or were not approved a waiver. Each of these clients were contacted on an individual basis and outcomes included returning of equipment not being used, satisfaction with paying for services, taking up the direct debit option with Centrelink or purchasing their own equipment.

Service coordinators of the clients not qualifying for a waiver were informed in every case and, if circumstances were appropriate, a high risk waiver was approved. Thirteen high risk waivers have been approved (>1 per cent of total clients). 132 client files were closed, the clients either having passed away or having been placed in residential care (8 per cent). Thirteen clients are still being assisted with reapplying for a waiver, i.e., home visits.

89 waiver renewals were posted in early November for waivers expiring in December 2008 and January 2009. 30 clients have waivers expiring between February and May 2009—after this time all clients affected by the changes will have been reassessed.

An estimated increase in client contribution of $105,000 per annum is forecast.

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