Preparing for upcoming changes to Support at Home pricing

By Taran Minhas, Senior Consultant

If you’re an in-home aged care provider preparing for the upcoming Support at Home Program (starting July 2025), you’ve likely heard about the new fact sheet on changes to pricing arrangements. It’s crucial information, and we’ve broken down the key points to help you understand what’s changing and how to prepare.

Key changes you need to know

1. Transparent pricing requirements

Providers will need to publish their full schedule of prices published on their website, ensuring clients and families understand precisely what they’re paying for. This information will also be available on the My Aged Care website.

2. Potential price caps or guidelines

The government is staging the introduction of price caps on services under the new Support at Home program. From 1 July 2026, government-set price caps will apply. In the first year of the program, starting 1 July 2025, in-home aged care providers will continue to set their own prices for Support at Home services, as is currently the case in the Home Care Packages (HCP) Program.

3. Reporting and record-keeping obligations

Providers will need to regularly report their fee structures and revenue data to the Department for the purpose of publishing their pricing information on the My Aged Care website.

4. Updates to client documents

The new pricing rules will require providers to provide clients with monthly financial statements detailing the units of each type of service delivered, along with the corresponding prices. Providers will also need to revise service agreements to accurately reflect any changes to fees and subsidies.

Potential impacts on providers

• Financial planning: Providers may need to reforecast cash flow and adjust your financial strategy.
• Client relations: Clients may have questions about pricing changes, so providers must be prepared to provide clear explanations.
• Operational adjustments: New reporting and tracking requirements may necessitate upgrading technology or retraining staff to manage data more efficiently.

Important next steps for providers

1. Read the full fact sheet

Download the Support at Home Program Fact Sheet – Changes to Support at Home Pricing Arrangements for In-Home Aged Care Providers from the Department of Health website. Share the document with your leadership, finance, and client-facing teams.

2. Evaluate current fees

Review how you currently collect, store, and report on fees. Assess whether new software or additional training is needed to meet stricter reporting obligations.

3. Update internal processes

Ensure that service agreements accurately reflect any new pricing. Clearly communicate these changes to clients, providing plenty of time for them to understand and ask questions.

4. Revise service agreements

Ensure that service agreements accurately reflect any new pricing. Communicate these changes clearly, giving clients plenty of time to understand and ask questions.

5. Prepare a communication strategy

Develop a Q&A resource or fact sheet for your clients and families, outlining what’s changing, why, and how it affects them. Train frontline staff to confidently handle questions and concerns.

Need help navigating the changes?
Our team here at Mirus Australia would love to support you. Whether it’s financial modelling, communication strategies, or change management, we can help ensure your business is set up for success under the new Support at Home Program.

Reach out to us if you’d like to discuss your specific circumstances or have concerns about transitioning to the new pricing arrangements.