My father entered an aged care facility in July 2019 paying a part RAD $150000. Full RAD was $200000 . My step mother was in respite at the same aged care facility(ACF) . They owned a house at the time which was valued at $300,000 plus cash assests of approximatley $80,000 after RAD payment. My father was being invoiced the normal costs plus a DAC and paid interest on the shortfall of the RAD.
My Stepmother became a permanant resident of the aged care facility(ACF) in September 2019 and also paid a part RAD of $50,000 , Full RAD being $200,000.
Their house was sold in December 2019 for approximataley $300000. From this mount $50,000 and $150 000 was paid to the aged care for payment of the full RAD for both of my parents.
Since January2020 my Father still had to pay a DAC as directed by Services Australia of approx $57 adjusted by the ACF to approx $28 .
My Stepmother pays basic daily care fee and nothing else. They share the same assests.
I have many phone calls to Dept of Vet Affairs and Services Australia to find out why my parents cost differ. The main explanation is tha t my father entered as a high care resident , which puzzles me why he didn’t become a low care resident when my mother became a permanant resident
My parents who are lucid just need a simple explanation explaining why the difference.
Hi waldo1948,I am not an aged care financial specialist but there are a couple of things I’d like to comment on. When your parents first went into care the family home would have been valued at a capped amount for the purposes of the Income and Assets assessment by Department Human Services with each of the couple owning 50 % of the assets. Once the family home is sold the full value of the home is assessed. DHS then reassesses your parents financial situation which can potentially impact on the aged care fees and maybe the age pension. You dont mention a means tested fee so I assume your parents were not assessed as requiring to pay one. You also refer to your father being a high care resident and then becoming a low care resident. Since 2014 the government removed the distinction of high and low care in residential aged care homes giving consumers and providers more flexibility in their care arrangements. I recommend you speak to a representative at DHS Income and Assets division on 1800 227 475 as they will have your parents financial information which dictates the aged care fees they pay. I assume you have spoken to the manager at the aged care home as well? They should have a financial officer to assist you with this.If you still have no satisfactory answers then my other suggestion is to speak with a specialist aged care financial adviser.
Regards,
Jill