Over the last year, the Federal Government has been changing the way Home Care Package Program providers are paid through the Improved Payment Arrangement Reforms (IPA).
The reforms aim to improve protections for home care recipients funds, as well as reducing the prudential risk for home care providers. These changes are also designed to reinforce the focus on delivering services to meet consumers needs and increase choice in the Home Care Packages Program.
Five Good Friends Home Care Package Members will have heard of the reform and will begin to see changes to how their Home Care Package balance details are shared from the end of September.
What does it mean for HCP Members?
For Members, these changes will provide a clearer picture of their home care package balance and unspent funds.
For Five Good Friends, it means a new way to submit a claim for the services provided.
Members can be assured that there are no changes to the support they receive or the amount of money they have available for support.
They will not need to do anything.
Changes to Five Good Friends Monthly Statement
As this is a new claims process for the Australian Government and Five Good Friends, it may mean that we expect September Home Care Package Statement to be available in the app later in the month than usual.
It should be no later than the 15th of October. Some Members request to receive a paper statement, this will be mailed after the 15th of October. Please allow a few days for it to arrive.
As we get more familiar with the new payment process, we expect to provide with monthly statements again early in the month – as we have to date.
We greatly appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as we work through the changes. Thanks for bearing with us through this transition.
Further Updates
Also, in the coming months we'll be updating the Five Good Friends Home Care Package Statement to align with the new government requirements.
These updates will provide Members with a better understanding of their home care package balance. We will also share more information about how to read the updated statements and what the new details mean.
Remember, Members can always check your transactions and current balance in the Five Good Friends app at any time.
When a Members Home Care Package funds are processed, they will also appear in the app. Here is a support article about how to view balance and transactions.
If you would like to learn more about the Australian Government's Improved Payment Arrangements reform, you can read about it here in Five Good Friends support article and on the Australian Government's Department of Health website.
