Close Search
 
MEDIA, JOBS & RESOURCES for the COMMON GOOD
News  |  Government

Aged Care Indexation Misses the Mark


30 June 2011 at 2:37 pm
Staff Reporter
Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) says it’s disappointed with the Government’s 1.9% indexation of funding for aged care, describing it as a meagre increase given the current rise in inflation.

Staff Reporter | 30 June 2011 at 2:37 pm


0 Comments


 Print
Aged Care Indexation Misses the Mark
30 June 2011 at 2:37 pm

Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) says it’s disappointed with the Government’s 1.9% indexation of funding for aged care, describing it as a meagre increase given the current rise in inflation.

ACSA CEO Patrick McClure says aged care providers question how the Government could justify a figure which fails to address rising costs in the sector.

McClure says older people living in their homes and those in residential aged care bear the brunt of funding shortfalls which directly impact on services.

He says that with no additional funding for aged care in this year’s Federal Budget, 1.9% indexation compounds the problem. The Federal Government recently announced the annual indexation adjustment for the sector – up point-2% on last year’s 1.7%.

The ACSA points to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 3.3% in the past 12 months. In the March quarter fuel costs increased by 8.8%, vegetables by 16% and pharmaceuticals by 12.5%.
The minimum wage will rise by $15.51 a week from July 1.

McClure says the rate of indexation was one factor among many identified by the Productivity Commission (PC) as a weakness indicating the need for fundamental reform.

He says real reform is at hand now the PC’s final report is with the Government but the means for aged care providers to maintain and bolster services remain elusive.

The Minister for Ageing has stated that developing fair and sustainable funding arrangements for aged care may be one of the hardest achievements for his Government.

McClure says it will be that much more difficult if there is no action to sustain the industry in the short term.

The ACSA has again called on the Government to restore the additional 1.75% subsidy for residential care services and extend it to community care pending a ‘cost of care’ study proposed by the PC.

Link www.agedcare.org.au




Get more stories like this

FREE SOCIAL
SECTOR NEWS


YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

What next on government engagement?

Neil Pharaoh

Monday, 27th March 2023 at 12:12 pm

Embedding gender equity in government engagement

Ellen McLoughlin

Wednesday, 8th March 2023 at 10:19 pm

Businesses on notice as ACCC sweeps covers off greenwashing

Danielle Kutchel

Friday, 3rd March 2023 at 3:16 pm

ASIC launches first greenwashing court action

Isabelle Oderberg

Tuesday, 28th February 2023 at 8:28 am

pba inverse logo
Subscribe Twitter Facebook
×