Costs & Payment
HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?
If you are a Home and Community Care (HACC) client
In 1997 the Federal and State governments introduced a fee for all support services provided under the HACC Program. However, the ability to waive fees ensures that no client in need of support will be refused services due to inability to pay.
Because FBC is a not-for-profit organisation, fees collected are used to support provision of services to clients.
Fees are capped so that regardless of the number of service visits (i.e. personal care, respite or domestic assistance) or the amount of time required for each visit, you pay in accordance with the chart below.
Level of HACC Fees
Pensioners
$5 per visit
$10 per week for 2 or more visits per week
Non-Pensioners
$20 per visit
$30 per week for 2 or more visits per week
HACC do not provide any funding for transport and this cost must be charged to the client. Generally, the sum of 50 cents per kilometre is charged when using a Direct Care Workers' car. If the clients' car is to be used, it must be correctly registered and have comprehensive insurance cover. Evidence of comprehensive insurance and registration must be provided to FBC prior to the provision of care.
If you are a Veterans' Home Care client
Fees for Veterans' Home Care clients are :
- maximum $10 per week for personal care
- maximum $5 per week for domestic assistance
- $5 per hour for home and garden maintenance (up to 15 hours per year).
There is no fee charged for respite care. Other services (e.g. delivered meals) will be as charged by the provider. DVA do not allow our staff to take clients shopping.
If you are a Hosting client
The cost of Hosting is fifty (50) cents per hour, or $24.00 for a full weekend. However, all fees are negotiable and the standard waiver process applies (See if you can't afford to pay (Fee Waiver) below).
If you are a Community Aged Care Packages (CACP) client
The maximum fee that can be charged for CACP recipients on the basic aged pension with no other income is 17.5% of the aged pension. As at September 2005, this is a little over $40 per week. Care recipients who have income exceeding the current pension can additionally be asked to pay this amount plus up to half of any additional income.
FBC CACP fees are negotiated by the CACP Coordinator on an individual basis, depending on the client's ability to pay, and taking into account exceptional and unavoidable expenses which may impact significantly on an individual or family's financial situation. A person assessed as eligible to receive CACP cannot be refused service on the grounds of their inability to pay a fee. The fee will be reviewed annually by the CACP Coordinator, or sooner upon client request.
CACP fees are still payable while the recipient is absent, in return for holding the package available and providing extra short term care, if required, upon discharge from a hospital.
If a CACP recipient feels that their particular circumstances and level of financial disadvantage have not been adequately taken into account, they may request a fee review by the CACP Coordinator. If the issue is not resolved to their satisfaction the care recipient and their advocate are encouraged to discuss it further with the Assistant General Manager or General Manager of FBC. (Please note that the fee waiver process discussed below does not apply to CACP fees.)
If you require Transport
Most funded programs do not include provision for transport costs. Consequently clients must provide their own transport. In certain circumstances transport can be included as part of the support package but clients will be asked to pay a small contribution per kilometre (55 - 65 cents per kilometre dependent on eligibility).
Other services providing transport for eligible clients include Community Transport Service, Red Cross Client Transport, Wattle Group and Launceston Volunteer & Family Services. Community car systems operate in most rural areas.
If you can't afford to pay (Fee Waiver)
Please discuss the fees in more detail with the Assessor, your Service Coordinator or directly with the General Manager. If you feel unable to pay the fees, either in part or whole, you will be requested to complete a Waiver Request form. Your Service Coordinator can assist you with filling in this form but the General Manager has responsibility for approving Waiver requests.
If the Waiver Request is successful, you will be advised of the outcome and the date from which the waiver applies. A waiver does not apply to current debts and consequently arrangements will have to be made to pay any outstanding amounts. The fee waiver process does not apply to CACP fees.
You have the right to lodge a complaint if you are unhappy with the decision regarding your waiver request. If you are not able to satisfactorily resolve the complaint with the General Manager of FBC, you can contact the Health Complaints Commissioner on 1300 766 725 (local call).
During the complaint process the services you receive will not be influenced in any way and all details will be kept confidential (See Compliments & Complaints, Grievance Procedure).
Payment of Accounts
Accounts are sent every four weeks, although four times each year the account period is five weeks. Accounts can be paid by several methods :
· in person, by friend or family member at the FBC office closest to you
· by credit card over the phone (phone 6333 3999)
· by cheque mailed to PO Box 1919, Launceston 7250
· payment at your local Service Tasmania shop
· HACC vouchers available from local pharmacies and some newsagents (this payment method is only available for HACC services - vouchers cannot be used for payment for Veterans Home Care services, etc.). Vouchers should be delivered or mailed to Family Based Care
Please do not ask Direct Care Workers to pay accounts on your behalf.
