by Sarah | May 2, 2022 | Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP), Country Home Services, Home Care Packages
It can be difficult to know the differences between the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) and Home Care Packages. Rest assured though, we want to put your mind at ease by explaining both of them to you so you can understand the differences and when each of them are typically available.
Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP):
The Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) is an initiative providing extra assistance around the home, including a wide range of services which can be tailored to your individual requirements. Support is available with services including house cleaning, home maintenance services, social support and personal care. Some of the situations where you might like to consider CHSP include if you have experienced the following:
– noticed that memory has become a bit challenging
– reduced mobility
– been diagnosed with a medical condition
– family care arrangements have altered.
In the situation where you think CHSP may be the best option for yourself or a loved one, you can check out whether you are eligible right here. To arrange and assessment and check eligibility, you can call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and the contact centre may then arrange a home support assessment to determine suitable help for your needs. You can also apply online.
Home Care Packages:
Home Care Packages provide assistance within the home where it is needed for many everyday tasks, as well as situations in which the needs of the person needing the help become intense or complex. Typically, home care packages will be provided where the individual has needs which are beyond those that are provided through CHSP.
Support is available with services including bathing, hygiene and grooming, nursing, personal care services which relate to health and mobility, meals and food preparation, cleaning and laundry, transport and many more!
The package levels for Home Care Packages can be found right here: The package level assigned to you is based on your needs.
| Package level |
Level of care needs |
| Level 1 |
Basic care needs – $9,026.45 a year |
| Level 2 |
Low care needs – $15,877.50 a year |
| Level 3 |
Intermediate care needs – $34,550.90 a year |
| Level 4 |
High care needs – $52,377.50 a year |
The application process for home care packages is done through My Aged Care right here (link to https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/assessment/apply-online). It will take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete and you will need your medicare card to complete it.
If you get stuck with working out which option is the most appropriate for your individual circumstances, or simply have a question that we can assist you with, then you are welcome to contact us for support and guidance via 1300 773 202. Our friendly team are here to support you
by Sarah | May 2, 2022 | Country Home Services
How to apply for, and access, CHSP and the home care package
It can be hard to know where to start when you need to organise help that is best for you. Services provided by CHS can help you to maintain your independence and enjoy your life, your way. How do you access the help or work out which options are the most suitable for you though? We have broken it down in the hope of simplifying it for you.
- Find out what you are eligible for
If doing things like cleaning your home or keeping your yard safe is starting to get more difficult for you, the first place to start is by calling My Aged Care. Some find this step overwhelming, so please ask someone to help you or call our friendly team at Country Home Services and we can explain how My Aged Care works.
- Register with My Aged Care.
Registering with My Aged Care is a requirement if you want to access government funded services, the type of services that we provide. To register, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422. Have your medicare card ready when you call My Aged Care because it will make it easier for them to provide you with the right advice. My Aged Care will ask a range of questions. This helps the person who you are talking with understand and assess your care needs. Family, friends, carers or health professionals can call on your behalf, but My Aged Care will ask you for your consent for them to talk for you. Translating and Interpreting Services (TIS) can also be arranged if you need it.
- The My Aged Care Assessment Process.
Based on the information you provide, My Aged Care may refer you to a face-to-face assessment (that is an assessor visiting your home) to better understand your support needs. Services are unlikely to be put in place without a face to face assessment. This assessment will involve a professional from My Aged Care discovering your needs, reviewing any services you may already receive, identifying any health or safety concerns you have and also reviewing how you are currently managing at home. This assessment determines your eligibility for either the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) or a Home Care Package (HCP).
Assessments are conducted by these teams:
- REGIONAL ASSESSMENT SERVICE (RAS) RAS assesses for entry level services—low level like help cleaning your home.
- AGED CASE ASSESSMENT TEAM (ACAT) ACAT assess for more complex needs, where you may need three or four difference services.
- The Next Steps based on your Assessment:
OPTION 1: THE PATHWAY TO THE COMMONWEALTH HOME SUPPORT PROGRAM (CHSP)
If you have been assessed for the CHSP, your next step is to connect with us. You can do this by:
- Asking the person who assesses you (the RAS) to refer your service to us, or
- You can call us on 1300 773 202 with a copy of your referral information. The CHSP is funded by the Australian Government. This means that services are subsidised. You will be asked to contribute to the costs of your services however this is a small amount. No-one will be refused services because of their inability to contribute. Steps to accessing CHS services
OPTION 2: THE PATHWAY TO A HOME CARE PACKAGE (HCP) If you have been assessed for a HCP, you will receive a letter from the person who assessed you outlining your eligibility and HCP level – 1 through to 4. If you are eligible for a HCP, you automatically get placed on the national waiting list.
Once a HCP becomes available, you will receive a letter that assigns you a HCP. You should act on this as soon as possible.
You have a certain time to choose a provider and to enter a Home Care Package agreement. So, while you are waiting to be assigned a HCP, you should start thinking about what a HCP could look like for you. Think about things like:
- The services that you need.
- The type of services that will suit your lifestyle.
- The fees and charges for services and other products. Some people will need to contribute an income assessed fee. This fee is different for everyone. It’s based on individual income, including your pension. However, full pensioners and people with income up to $28,472.60 do not pay an income-tested care fee. (Information correct as at 20/09/2021). You can start the process that determines this fee prior to be assigned a HCP. If you are not sure about this, you can call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422. If your circumstances improve while you are on the waiting list, you can opt out of the waiting process at any time. Your referral remains valid until your needs change.
If you have any questions about the above process or applying for the help you deserve and need, feel free to call us now on 1300 773 202 and we can address them for you. We can also guide you through any stage of the process. We are always here to help you.
by Sarah | May 2, 2022 | Country Home Services
Additional Home Care Package Fees you need to be aware of
When you are in the position of choosing your Home Care Package provider, it can be overwhelming if you are trying to work out what the overall fees will be however are unsure of any costs that are required but are often additional. We wanted to provide you with an outline of some of the main fees it is important that you ask your provider about, and are aware of, so that you can make the best possible decision for you in your current situation.
First, though, we want to quickly cover how the fees generally work under a home care package. Home care packages are made up of two main fees: the basic daily fee, which is an amount everyone is asked to pay, and an income tested fee – which ia an additional amount that some people are required to pay. You can take the income assessment right here to find out if you would be required to pay the income tested fee: https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/how-much-will-i-pay
On top of these main fees, some providers charge additional fees and these can vary depending on which provider you select. Some of the additional fees you should ask about include:
- Set Up Fee: It is important to ascertain whether the provider you are choosing charges a setup fee, and if so, how much this is going to be.
- Care Service Providers Fees – It is important to ensure that you are not receiving additional charges for the care and services you are being provided with. For example if you engage a cleaner as part of your services, then it is important to ensure that they are being paid at market rate and that extra hasn’t been added on top of this (such as $55 per hour instead of $35) because that will mean that you have less funds available in your package for other services you may need
- Case Management/Admin Fee: It is important to know what you are paying for case management and administration fees. Some providers charge a large % of the overall home care package funds so it si important before you sign with your provider that you confirm that they will not be taking too much of your allocation.
- Surcharge for using staff not engaged through the provider: Some providers will charge an additional fee if you choose to use your own services so be careful of this because it will mean that you could lose some of your package to no benefit if you end up paying this fee.
- Exit Fee: Providers can charge you an exit fee if you choose to leave and move to a new provider and it can be up to a few thousand dollars. This amount comes off your home care package allocated funds so it is best to not have one or ensure that it is minimal.
If you would like to arrange a private and confidential discussion about your situation, where we can advise you on suitable fees for where you are at including what is the industry standard and best practice, call us now on . At Country Home Services, we are committed to ensuring that you are provided with the right Home Care Package which enables you to access as many services as possible with the budget that you have been allocated.
