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Eligibility and the law
Eligibility for many Australian Government aged care services is first determined by an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT or ACAS in Victoria) (more information). Once a team member has met with you and discussed your needs, they'll be able to recommend which aged care services are most appropriate to meet your care needs, and assist you in accessing those services. Home and Community Care (HACC) (more information) services do not require an ACATassessment. For more information on aged care call 1800 200 422.
Read more: About being assessed
The Aged Care Act 1997
The Aged Care Assessment team may approve you to receive one or more of the types of aged care that are funded by the Australian Government. The types of aged care include:- Residential care’
- Community care (CACP)
- Extended Aged Care at Home (EACH)
- Extended Aged Care at Home – Dementia (EACH-D) and
- Transition Care.
If the ACAT does not approve you to receive Australian Government funded aged care services, or does not approve you to receive the type or level of aged care services you believe would best meet your needs, you can lodge a formal appeal against the ACAT’s decision. The appeal should be directed to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Ageing.
Read more: About the Aged Care Act 1997
Common questions on this topic:
- How do I know if I 'm eligible for any of these programs?
- What if I'm not sure whether I need to move to an aged care home?
- Can I just move into an aged care home when I feel I'm ready?
See more common questions on this topic | See all common questions