Hi
I’m Financial Manager for my Stepfather who has been in an aged care facility since June 19 and before that he had home care since around 2013.
He is a self funded retiree whose wife (my Mum) passed away in November 2020, she was in the same facility with him but from January 2020. His daily means tested fee has almost doubled since she died as she had no income and he paid her means tested fee. It went from $62.18 per day to currently $116.31 per day.
I keep a record of his means tested aged care payments to see if he will reach the yearly means tested cap soon. Since July 2020 his means tested fees are $25528.29 as at 29/4/21 and as he pays $3256.68 monthly in means tested fees, he will reach the cap of $28338.71 by June 2021.
My question is does anyone from My Aged Care or the Aged Care Facility let you know if someone is near their annual cap and will he only get 1 month of paying no means tested fees, will the cap start again in July 2021?
Thankyou
Lyn
Hi Bunniesrule You would think that someone would let you know as soon as your stepfather has reached the annual cap of$28338.71. The way I understand it is that he will have to pay the means tested fees again from the 18th of June 2021 to the 18th of June 2022. I would think he would reach the lifetime cap of $68012.98 well before June 2023. I also think it’s unfair that fees almost double when a partner passes away. Nellie
Hi BunniesruleI would think that an annual cap would be for 12 months from when your step dad moved in. so you may have already reached the annual cap of $28338.71 , just wondering if from the 18th of June you would have to start paying the means tested fees again ?? Might be an idea to get on to centrelink yourself to find out.Personally I think it’s unfair that the fees just about double when a partne
Thank you for your response. m still unsure regarding the annual means tested fees. Does the annual fee start from the time my Stepfather became permanent in residential aged care. This date was the 18/6/19. So I have calculated his means tested fees from 18/6/20 to 18/6/21 and it comes to $29581.03. Does this mean he will stop paying the means tested care fee for the rest of 2021? I have no faith in either Centrelink or My Aged Care to let me know if he has reached this cap, as they have told me incorrect information constantly over the past 18 months since I became his Financial Manager. Centrelink would not accept the Trustee & Guardian Financial Management Order, I had to get Ron to sign a form for me to become a nominee for him even though I told Centrelink he had Dementia, they didnt care and I got him to sign the nominee form.Lyn
Thank you for your response. m still unsure regarding the annual means tested fees. Does the annual fee start from the time my Stepfather became permanent in residential aged care. This date was the 18/6/19. So I have calculated his means tested fees from 18/6/20 to 18/6/21 and it comes to $29581.03. Does this mean he will stop paying the means tested care fee for the rest of 2021? I have no faith in either Centrelink or My Aged Care to let me know if he has reached this cap, as they have told me incorrect information constantly over the past 18 months since I became his Financial Manager. Centrelink would not accept the Trustee & Guardian Financial Management Order, I had to get Ron to sign a form for me to become a nominee for him even though I told Centrelink he had Dementia, they didn’t care and I got him to sign the nominee form.Lyn
Thankyou for your response.Still not sure how they calculate the annual fee - is it yearly from the time he entered the aged care facility permanently. In that case my stepfather entered on 18/6/19. So I have calculated his means tested fees from 18/6/20 to 18/6/21 and the amount he will pay is $29,581.03. Does this mean he will get relief from fees for the remainder of 2021. I’m afraid I have no faith in either Centrelink or My Aged Care letting me know when he has reached his means tested limit as they have told me incorrect information constantly or are unable to assist at all with my questions regarding my Stepfather.Thank
Hi bunniesrule and Nellie, According to My Aged Care if your fees change Services Australia will let you and your service provider know by letter. This will include the date that your fees changed. They will also inform you and your provider by letter when you have reached your lifetime caps. As at March 2021 -19th September 2021 the maximum means tested care fee you can be asked to pay in a year is $28,338.71 and the maximum means tested care fee you can be asked to pay in a lifetime is $68,012.98.Services Australia do quarterly reviews of your fees which are completed on 1 January, 20 March, 1 July and 20 September each year. These checks will look at if there has been any change to a persons care needs or personal and financial circumstances and update the fees accordingly as well as updating your fees according to the regular Government set fee changes. If you have reached your annual caps when any of your fees change you will not have to pay any more means tested fees for the rest of tll then be asked to start paying these fees again on the next anniversary of the date you first started receiving care. Once you have reached the lifetime cap you cannot be asked to pay any more means-tested care fees. Also remember that if you were receiving Home Care prior to entering residential aged care then any income- tested fee you paid while receiving care at home will also be counted towards the annual and lifetime caps in residential care.
Kind regards Jill
Hi Bunniesrule, I like to know the answer to that question as well, I know that the lifetime cap is just over 68000.00, do we wait till we reach that before we go back to paying around 20000.00 per year? I’m still caring for my husband at the moment, but he may have to go in care in the future. Also is any money that’s left in a trust fund counted?