Some of the latest aged care reforms have included an increase in government accommodation supplements for residents in new or refurbished accommodation.

As part of the aged care reforms, approved providers who build or significantly refurbish a residential care service on or after 20 April 2012 will receive the higher Government accommodation supplement on behalf of eligible care recipients. Payable from 1 July 2014, the intent of the measure is to encourage the development of additional capacity in the residential care sector and enhanced quality and amenity of accommodation for care recipients.

Newly built services that have been completed on or after 20 April 2012 will automatically qualify for the higher accommodation supplement, while services in refurbished facilities are required to apply to the Secretary of the Department for a determination that their service is ‘significantly refurbished’.

There are two pathways to seek a determination from the Secretary that a service is significantly refurbished and therefore eligible to receive the higher accommodation supplement.

Pathway 1: Standard approval
The main pathway is to apply for ‘standard approval’, which is for services with completed refurbishments.

Pathway 2: Pre-approval
For services with a proposed refurbishment, they may wish to apply for ‘pre-approval’, which is an optional route that comprises two-stages (pre-approval and confirmation of completion).

For more information visit the Australian Government Department of Social Services website here.