OPAN says aged care assessment reform is still needed
Aged care assessment changes tabled in Federal Parliament on 17 September 2026 would add an escalation pathway for older people disputing decisions made by the Integrated Assessment Tool. The aged care assessment tool uses an online algorithm to set funding levels for older people under the Support at Home program.
The amendments bill would create that pathway for exceptional circumstances where a person challenges an IAT decision. Older Persons Advocacy Network welcomed the move, but warned longer-term fixes are still needed.
OPAN chief executive Craig Gear said the group had been calling for an escalation pathway. He described the bill as an interim solution while broader reform of the IAT remains unresolved.
“While further reform remains essential, older people need a mechanism to challenge decisions now,” Mr Gear said.
He said the algorithm is a major concern because it decides a person’s aged care funding level and can affect their livelihood. OPAN is also seeking clinical oversight of IAT decisions, arguing a human element should remain in decision-making and reviews.
7-day consent rule raises concerns
OPAN also questioned how the pathway would work in practice. To start the process, an older person must give consent.
However, the proposed 7-day timeframe may not give enough time in every case. OPAN pointed to older people in rural and remote areas and to people who may want advocacy support before responding.
Current reviewable decision processes have already shown administrative problems when written consent must be obtained, according to OPAN. For that reason, the group wants the Rules to consider what must be in writing and what could be accepted verbally.
If consent is not provided within 7 days, access to the escalation review could be blocked. OPAN said that risk could hit people in rural and remote locations especially hard.
Rules will set the details of the new pathway. As those Rules are developed, OPAN wants consent arrangements, suitable timeframes and broad criteria that allow people to be considered through the escalation pathway.
“This escalation pathway provides an important interim solution to ensure that older people get the right care at the right time,” Mr Gear said.
