Aged Care Legislation Amendment 2024

# Aged Care Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 ## What it does The government is giving itself new powers to check whether aged care homes are giving accurate information about residents' finances and care data. It's also making changes to how fees are charged when residents move between rooms in the same facility, and updating rules about income and asset assessments. ## Why it matters If you or a family member is in residential aged care, this affects how much you'll be charged and what financial information aged care homes must report. The data checks could help catch dodgy accounting by care facilities, but it also means more government oversight of how your information is handled. ## Key details - **Data audits**: The Secretary of the Department of Health can now regularly review whether aged care providers are telling the truth about resident information and finances. The goal is to catch incomplete or inaccurate records and improve standards. - **When it starts**: Most changes kick in from 1 January 2025 (or when the bill gets Royal Assent, whichever is later). - **Who's affected**: Residents paying for care, aged care providers, and anyone assessing whether someone qualifies for government support based on their income and assets.