Summary: If you are admitted to a hospital, the government will continue to fund your HCP for 28 days. After that, your subsidy will be reduced. As an HCP recipient, your fees will also be reduced accordingly after this period.
In certain situations, Home Care Package recipients may need to take a temporary leave.
This can be for a number of reasons, including transition care, residential respite, or a hospital stay.
If you need to be admitted to a hospital, your Home Care Package will be temporarily suspended.
This means you will not receive home care services while in the hospital, and the provider should not charge for services that are not delivered.
There are certain rules regarding your government subsidy and the fees you are obligated to pay.
If you want to know more about the Home Care Package hospital leave process, keep reading.
What Happens When You Take a Hospital Leave From Your Home Care Package?
Certain situations may force you to stop receiving care through your Home Care Package. This can be temporary or permanent.
When it comes to hospital leaves, they count as temporary.
Once you are admitted to a hospital, you will immediately stop receiving home care services. But what happens to your Home Care Package during your hospital stay?
It depends on how long your hospital leave lasts. In the meantime, your Home Care Package will be suspended.
When you return to your home, it will resume. What you should be informed about is your government subsidy.
According to My Aged Care, the government will continue to pay the full subsidy for the first 28 days of hospital leave.
This includes Home Care Package supplements for those who receive them.
After 28 days, your government subsidy will be adjusted. This means that:
- The government will fund 25% of the basic subsidy rate from day 29 onward.
- The subsidy you will receive after day 29 will include any primary supplements you are eligible for.
- You will continue to receive other supplements as part of the subsidy.
But what about your obligation to your provider? Even if you go to a hospital, you still have to pay your basic daily fee to your provider.
When it comes to the income-tested care fee, you still have to pay it for the first 28 days in a row.
After that, you will either have to pay a lower amount of this fee or 25% less of the basic subsidy rate.
What Happens After Your Hospital Leave?
When you first find out you're going to the hospital, you should notify your provider as soon as possible.
This ensures proper documentation and adjustment of services and funding.
The same applies to when you want to come back. This is how the whole process goes after you find out you're getting discharged:
- Discharge planning with the hospital staff and communication with your home care provider
- Reassessment of your care needs and updating your care plan if necessary
- Home care services are resumed as per the updated care plan
- Ongoing support and care management
- Follow-up appointments and providing necessary feedback
Once you are discharged from the hospital, you should inform your Home Care Package provider right away. That way, you will be able to resume your services immediately.
The provider might need to reassess your needs. Your care requirements may have changed because of the hospital stay.
Your provider will arrange for the necessary services to be delivered to your home.
Upon discharge, you might receive extra support to help you settle back at home. This can include personal care, medication management, and other necessary services.
Your provider will monitor your condition and the effectiveness of the care plan. They will make adjustments as necessary for your well-being and recovery.
You may also have follow-up medical appointments. Your provider can assist with transportation or other types of support related to these appointments.
Reasons for a Home Care Package Hospital Leave
There are several reasons why a Home Care Package recipient might need to take a hospital leave.
Here are some common scenarios:
- Medical emergencies
- Planned medical procedures
- Complications from chronic conditions
- Acute mental health issues
- Specialised diagnostic tests
- Rehabilitation and recovery
- Infection control
As you can see, your HCP hospital care doesn't only have to be an emergency. It's possible that you knew you were going to be admitted months ahead.
Of course, accidents can happen. That's why you should contact your provider as soon as possible to inform them about the hospital leave.
It's important to put your health and well-being first. When you don't need the hospital's services anymore, you will be able to go back to receiving support at home.
Types of Home Care Package Leaves
My Aged Care recognises different types of temporary leave from Home Care Packages.
This includes:
- Hospital leave
- Residential respite
- Transition care
- Leave due to social reasons
Residential respite is taken to receive temporary care in a residential respite care facility. It allows the regular carer to take a break.
If you go into residential respite, the government will fund the basic subsidy and supplements for the first 28 days. After that, the government will reduce the subsidy.
Unlike other types of leave, residential respite leave days don't have to be taken in a row.
Transition care is when you are recovering from a hospital stay and preparing to return home. The same rules for a Home Care Package hospital leave apply here.
The leave can last up to 28 days. The government pays the full subsidy during this time. Like hospital leave, the subsidy continues at a reduced rate after that.
All other types of leave fall under social leave. These are social reasons, such as:
- Going on vacation
- Staying with family or friends
- Taking a break from the regular home care routine
Home care services are suspended during this period. The same subsidy and fee rules apply.
Understanding Your Options and Obligations
When you take hospital leave, you will stop receiving support through your Home Care Package. This is a temporary leave, so your package will be suspended until you return.
In the meantime, you will continue to receive your government subsidy.
The government will continue to pay the subsidy and supplements for the first 28 days of your hospital leave. After that, your subsidy will be reduced.
When you return home, your subsidy will go back to its normal amount.
If you have any questions about taking leave from your Home Care Package, don't hesitate to reach out to us.
Inclusive Home Care would be happy to answer any questions or address your concerns.
