CHA’s response on behalf of the sector's aged care providers to the Department of Social Services’ Discussion Paper on Stage 1 of Increasing Choice in Home Care.

Please follow this link to read the submission.

An unpublished independent research report into the financial viability of residential services in rural and remote regions of New South Wales found that generally residential aged care services in remote areas are operating with both operating and net losses due to a range of extra costs including the following:

• The small population on which to draw their client base results in a resident mix with a higher proportion of lower dependency residents and hence lesser funding;
• Unfavourable occupancy levels sometimes influenced by other residential aged and community care services within the same client catchment areas;
• Lower than average Accommodation Bond levels and in some cases no capacity to charge a bond or charge due to the family home being unsaleable;
• Having to maintain staffing levels that are not necessary when the resident profile changes;
• Higher staff recruitment, retention and training costs;
• Higher costs for insurances, medicines, incontinence aids, laundry, food and maintenance.”

CHA members confirm that these remain as principal triggers affecting financial performance of residential aged care providers.

Please follow this link to read the submission.

Catholic Health Australia has recently lodged a submission with the Treasury in response to the draft legislation: Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (2015 Measures No. 4) Bill 2015: Limiting FBT concessions on salary packaged entertainment.

For the full document, please follow this link. 

Following the release of the Aged Care Sector Statement of Principles, which was endorsed by the Prime Minister to guide future changes to the aged care system, the sector was invited to identify opportunities to embed the Principles in the design of Australia’s future aged care system. Catholic Health Australia’s submission in response to this invitation argues that changing the current system to one that is consumer-led and demand-driven presents the best opportunity to embed the Principles.

CLICK HERE to download the submission

CHA made a submisson to the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs for the Committee's Inquiry into the adequacy of existing residential care arrangements available for young people with severe physical, mental or intellectual disabiities in Australia.

As the submission is written from the perspective of Catholic aged care providers, a number of whom accommodate and care for a relatively small number of younger people with a disability, the submission focuses on only 3 of the Committee's Terms of Reference.  These are set out in the submission.

CLICK HERE to read the submission.

In response to the Treasurer's invitation to provide views regarding priorities for the 2015-16 Budget, CHA lodged a submission on 20 January 2015.

CHA's submission concerns the care of the increasing number of older Australians due to the ageing of our population.  It calls for a clear statement that it is the Government's intention to transition to a contestable market-based aged care system so that providers, financiers and equity investors, who are making long term investments, and consumers have certainty about the Government's policy intentions.  The submission also identifies the care of older people with severe behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia as an immediate priority.

CLICK HERE to read submission.  

CLICK HERE to read attachment to the submission.

In this document, The 2012 Aged Care Reforms: The Changing World for Aged Care Providers, Catholic Health Australia offers a comprehensive analysis of the aged care reforms that were announced in 2012 and continue to be implemented. The analysis looks specifically at the reforms from a provider perspective. Click here to access the document.

In its submission to the Senate Economics Legislation Committee, Catholic Health Australia outlined why it supports repeal of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Bill and the abolition of the ACNC. The principal reason for CHA's criticism of the ACNC design and support for the repeal Bill is that hospital and aged care regulation provides sufficient consumer protections that the ACNC adds nothing to. Click here to read CHA's submission.

Catholic Health Australia, in its submission to the Inquiry into affordable housing, called on the Inquiry to recommend the Commonwealth have a significant role in legislating and funding programs that stimulate affordable housing opportunities for older Australians. CHA offered seven recommendations that would help bring about that objective. Click here to read the submission.