Fix Private Health Insurance for Older Australians – Add your voice and SIGN PETITION HERE
This legislation is a significant step forward in responding to certain of the key issues highlighted, and recommendations made, by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
COTA Australia tonight welcomed the very substantial package of measures in tonight’s Federal Budget that will fire the starting gun on a substantial overhaul of the aged care system over the next five years, supported by additional expenditure of $17.7 Billion over four years.
This Statement conveys the signatories’ expectations of Government in advance of its budget and comprehensive response to the Royal Commission.
While alternate solutions to reform challenges have been provided by the two Commissioners, COTA Australia does not see this as any barrier to commencing urgent reform. Both Commissioners argued for major transformation of our aged care system.
Our new aged care system must tip the scales towards the individual and give older people genuine self-determination. That means control over the culture, choice of care and service delivery, and full transparency from providers.
The final report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety released today places the onus on the Morrison Government to address systemic issues with home care, nursing home regulation, staffing and transparency, Council on the Ageing (COTA) Australia has said.
Older Australians need a comprehensive plan from the Australian Government, demonstrating that all areas of Government are thinking and acting in a coordinated fashion to improve the lives of mature age and older Australians.
COTA Chief Executive Ian Yates thanked the Federal Government for responding to COTA’s call for more packages in MYEFO, and also supporters of the Safer at Home campaign.
“Older Australians deserve a loving Christmas, this year more than ever. That means in person, not restricted to a window “visit”, which is NOT a visit at all under the Visitor Code. It is the duty of providers to make sure visits can take place at a range of times.
COTA supports the majority of the recommendations but disagrees with some key proposals, especially those that would give more power to aged care providers rather than consumers.
Australia’s peak body of older Australians, Council on the Ageing (COTA) Australia, has welcomed a number of significant Federal Budget initiatives in pensions and aged care, but expressed concern about the plight of mature age and older workers who received no targeted support.
Aged Care providers should be required to provide service and pricing information at a site specific level – not a whole-of-business level – to inform consumer decisions.