Fees and charges in residential aged care vary depending on the individual requiring care, their personal circumstances and the facility in which they choose to reside. Unless seeking a financially supported place, the fees at Aberlea House Mortlake generally involve:
Basic Daily Care Fee
The government set basic daily care fee covers your day-to-day living costs such as meals, cleaning and laundry. Everyone in residential aged care is required to pay this fee.
The daily care fee is set by the government based on 85% of the Age Pension and will change in relation to pension increases.
The current Basic Daily Care Fee is $52.71 per day.
Accommodation Payment
Depending on your income and assets, you may be asked to pay an accommodation payment. The cost of your accommodation payment is dependent on the particular facility and suite you are interested in, as well as on the method in which to choose to pay this fee. The payment options are:
Refundable Accommodation Payment (RAD)
A RAD is a lump sum payment to the aged care provider. The full RAD amount is refunded upon departure of the facility and is 100% guaranteed by the government.
The RAD amount is $550,000. Please review our website: www.aberlea.com.au click on the links to see maximum RAD amounts for Aberleaor contact us for more information.
Daily Accommodation Payment (DAP)
As an alternative to paying your Accommodation Payment as a lump sum, you can pay periodic payments, which are based on a daily fee and billed monthly.
The DAP is not refundable when you leave the aged care facility.
The DAP amount is based on the Maximum Permissible Interest Rate (MPIR), which is set by the government, and the agreed price of the room/suite you are interested in. To calculate the equivalent daily accommodation payment (DAP) of a refundable accommodation deposit (RAD), the refundable accommodation deposit (RAD) is multiplied by the maximum permissible interest rate (MPIR).
The current MPIR is 4.1% per annum.
Combination RAD/DAP
You can choose to pay part of your accommodation as a RAD and part as a DAP. DAP amounts will be calculated based on the outstanding RAD amount. Upon leaving the facility, your RAD amount will be refunded but not DAP payments.
Means-Tested Care Fee
If you are in the financial position to contribute to costs related to your care, the Department of Human Services may charge a means-tested care fee. The Department will determine, and inform you, if you are required to pay this fee, which is calculated based on an assessment of your assets and income
There are annual and lifetime caps set by the government. The current caps are:
DOES ABERLEA KEEP ANY MONEY FROM THE REFUNDABLE ACCOMMODATION PAYMENT?
Normally there will be no deductions from the capital value of the refundable accommodation payment while the resident is in care. Residents who choose a combination of RAD and DAP may elect to have the amount of the daily accommodation payment deducted from the capital balance of the refundable accommodation payment.
ARE THERE MINIMUM ASSETS THAT A RESIDENT MUST BE LEFT WITH?
Residents cannot be charged a refundable accommodation payment if it would leave them with less than the permissible asset value of$50,500.
HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO PAY THE REFUNDABLE ACCOMMODATION PAYMENT?
Refundable accommodation payments can be paid up to six months from the date of entry. Interest is calculated daily from the date of entry for unpaid RADs and is invoiced monthly. Residents may change their mind about their options for paying a RAD, DAP or combination up to 28 days after admission.
WHAT IS THE RATE OF INTEREST?
Interest rates for unpaid RADs are determined by the Australian Government, and are based on the Treasury Yield Note. The current rate of interest will be shown in the key features statement for each type of accommodation available.
WHAT ARE MY CHOICES FOR PAYING AN ACCOMMODATION PAYMENT?
Accommodation payments can be paid as lump sum amounts, by daily payment or a combination of both. Where accommodation payments are paid by a combination of RAD and DAP, the amount and frequency of the payment will be advised in the offer of care and is determined in conjunction with the resident. Amounts paid as daily accommodation payments are non-refundable.
WHEN ARE REFUNDABLE ACCOMMODATION PAYMENTS RETURNED?
As outlined in the Resident Agreement that we supply on admission, we guarantee repayment of the Refundable Accommodation Payment Balance in accordance with the following criteria.
The Refundable Accommodation Payment Balance will be refunded if:
The refundable accommodation payment balance will be refunded within the following time frames:
At the time the refundable accommodation payment balance is refunded, we must also pay to you interest on the outstanding refundable accommodation payment balance calculated at the Base Interest Rate for the period from the day after the occurrence of that event until the date on which the refundable accommodation payment balance is refunded in full.
If any of the events referred to above occur and the refundable accommodation payment balance is refunded to you after 14 days from the occurrence of that event, then, at the time the refundable accommodation payment balance is refunded, Aberlea Mortlake must:
HOW DO I KNOW IF ABERLEA INC IS MANAGING MY ACCOMMODATION PAYMENT MONEY RESPONSIBLY?
Since 1 October 2011 the Disclosure Standard contained within the User Rights Principles has required that residents paying accommodation payments must receive a statement that the approved provider will provide certain information within seven days of a request (refer section 23.42(1)(c) of the User Rights Principles).
Aberlea Inc is the approved provider for Aberlea Under the Aged Care Act 1997 (the Act), residents and prospective residents or their representatives are entitled to receive particular information from their approved provider on request.
This includes, in relation to the previous financial year:
Aberlea Inc must also provide:
Residents, prospective residents or their representatives may request any or all of the available information. Aberlea must provide the information within seven days of the request, and the information must be correct at the time of the request.
HOW CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION?
Aberlea Chief Executive Officer will be happy to help with any further queries you may have: (03) 5599 2901
