Aged care support in mid-year budget
The aged care industry has welcomed the recent commitment by the government to support additional funding to meet the higher frailty and needs of an ageing population. Aged Care Association Australia chief executive, Rod Young, welcomed the Treasurer’s mid-year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (Part 2) Expense Measures report, revealing an expected increase in aged care subsidies.
The aged care industry has welcomed the recent commitment by the government to support additional funding to meet the higher frailty and needs of an ageing population.
Aged Care Association Australia chief executive, Rod Young, welcomed the Treasurer’s mid-year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (Part 2) Expense Measures report, which revealed there would be an expected increase in aged care subsidies of $444 million during 2011-2012 and $1.9 billion over four years.
“The industry is delighted that, in these very difficult financial times, the government has been able to support the industry by finding additional funds that will enable care providers to continue to deliver quality services,” Mr Young said.
In 2008, the government introduced a new funding tool for aged care(Aged Care Funding Instrument) which was designed to recognise the higher levels of care needs and to direct funding towards high care needs.
“It is essential this new ACFI funding tool continue its move towards better matching the funding to care needs, which is in the interest of each and every person in our care,” Mr Young said.
Despite the announcement, Mr Young reiterated the need for the government to respond to the recommendations of the Productivity Commission report released in August.
“Unless government responds in the 2012-13 budget, the demands on the public purse will continue to expand rapidly over coming years as Australia’s over-65s population almost doubles between now and 2040.”
