5 questions to assess your readiness for Support at Home

By Taran Minhas, Senior Consultant

In our previous blog on this topic, we highlighted five key questions every home care provider should be asking themselves about the upcoming Support at Home Program, set to start in July 2025. We also covered the recent information from the Department of Health’s Support at Home Program Fact Sheet – Changes to Support at Home Pricing Arrangements for In-Home Aged Care Providers underscoring how pricing will become more transparent and regulated. If you haven’t reviewed this fact sheet yet, we strongly recommend doing so to stay informed.

In this blog, we’ll explore those five key questions to help you evaluate your current position and readiness:

1. Understanding the program: Have you reviewed the latest releases and webinars from the Department, or at least consulted the highlights from our previous blogs?

2. New pricing & assessment models: Although the Department has yet to finalise industry price caps, have you assessed whether your current rates align with potential government guidelines? Do you have a baseline financial analysis to evaluate how the shift from package levels to individualised budgets might affect your revenue?

3. Staff readiness: Have you started identifying skill gaps or scheduling training on person-centred care, reablement, and other new concepts? Have you begun training care managers and frontline staff to address client inquiries about pricing with confidence?

4. Technology infrastructure: Have you evaluated whether your current systems can support new requirements, such as digital budgeting and automated care planning? Have you identified processes for publishing and reporting fees to meet potential new obligations?

5. Communication strategy: Are you proactively engaging clients, families, and stakeholders about what to expect when these changes take effect? Do your client contracts or agreements require updates to reflect upcoming fee adjustments?

If you’ve identified gaps in any of these areas, there’s still time to prepare. The focus now shifts to translating this awareness into practical steps.

Translate insights into action

Having evaluated your readiness, let’s address any shortcomings with clear, actionable measures. Here’s how to proceed efficiently:

Identify your key priorities

Determine the areas requiring immediate attention. For example, if your staff are not yet equipped for the new assessment tools, consider scheduling training sessions or accessing online resources this quarter.

Clarify your new pricing structure

Review the Department of Health’s fact sheet to identify any established price caps or fee guidelines. Conduct financial analyses to assess how pricing limits or funding changes might impact your revenue streams.

Ensure transparency and compliance

Map out how you’ll comply with reporting obligations—for example, publishing a schedule of fees or providing timely updates to the Department of Health. Conduct an internal audit of your current policies to ensure you can document and report pricing changes accurately.

Update service agreements

Review all client service agreements to ensure they reflect your new pricing structure. Train your care coordinators or client engagement teams on how to explain contract changes and address questions or concerns from clients effectively.

Train your workforce

Extend knowledge beyond the finance team. Ensure your frontline staff understand any changes to pricing or subsidies, enabling them to communicate with confidence and consistency. Highlight how pricing transparency supports person-centred care, fostering greater trust and satisfaction among clients.

To begin this process, consider these three immediate actions:

1. Download & review the fact sheet referenced earlier.
2. Identify which of your existing procedures—budgeting, reporting, service agreements—require updates.
3. If you need help interpreting the new pricing requirements or developing a comprehensive transition plan, our expert team is here to help.