Aged-care refunds in Australia called a 'burden' and 'total joke' by advocates
Australia's revised aged-care pricing framework, introduced last year, includes refunds for overcharging — but advocates say the process is unworkable in practice. The chief executive of the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) said the system 'guarantees more paperwork, not the return of money'.
The aged-care pricing reform was brought in under the Aged Care Act passed last year. Its aim, in short, was to stop hidden charges and ensure providers refund any overcharges. According to advocates interviewed by ABC, the refund process requires applications with 11 separate documents and an average 14-week wait.
OPAN chief executive Sue Field said, 'Many older Australians find the cost and complexity of the process higher than the value of the refund itself.' Consumer rights commissioner Liz Curran said only 1,450 refund claims have been approved in the first year of the system; industry estimates suggest 14,000 eligible residents missed the opportunity to apply.
Minister for Health and Aged Care Anika Wells told the ABC the system is 'in the design phase' and an electronic refund portal will be launched within the next three months. The minister said, 'We are working toward a system that does not require older consumers to spend hours collecting documents,' but advocates say the response has come too late.
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