Where DVA is advised that a pensioner residing in aged care has died, pension should be cancelled through the normal bereavement processing procedures.
No additional action is required in relation to the income testing of fees since DH&FS will be advised of the date of death via the data matching file.
If the deceased person has a partner who is receiving pension, the partner's circumstances should be reviewed as part of any post bereavement review to ascertain whether the surviving partner has received the accommodation bond refund.
Where a pensioner in aged care is admitted to hospital, his or her circumstances need to be reviewed to take into account the changed circumstances.
Generally, the pensioner's place in the aged care facility will be held for the duration of their hospital stay (there is no time limit) and while this is the case, there will be no refund of any accommodation bond paid. As admittance to hospital will generally be temporary, there is unlikely to be a change to the pensioner's residential situation. Following discharge from hospital however the person may move from for example low level to high level care.
If the person relinquishes his or her place in the aged care facility, the balance of any accommodation bond paid will be refunded by the facility. When the balance of the bond is refunded, the person's income and assets will need to be reviewed to take account of the funds received.
If a pensioner is assessed as a member of an illness separated couple prior to admission to hospital, this assessment will continue after his or her admission.
A patient may be classed as a nursing home patient in a hospital bed either awaiting placement to an approved nursing home or there long term as there is no appropriate local nursing home accommodation (i.e. a remote locality). These persons will still be eligible for rent assistance in respect of any money paid for their accommodation. As they are not in approved residential care, they will not be subject to any of the aged care reform changes.
Where a pensioner departs aged care to return to the former home or a new home, his or her pension assessment needs to be reviewed to take into account the changed circumstances.
The balance of any accommodation bond paid will be refunded by the facility. When the balance of the bond is refunded, the person's income and assets will need to be reviewed to take account of the funds received.
If the person commences paying private rent, rent assistance may be payable.
Where a person is assessed as a member of an illness separated couple while in aged care, this will cease if they return home to their partner.
Where a pensioner departs aged care to be cared for by family, his or her pension assessment needs to be reviewed to take into account the changed circumstances.
The balance of any accommodation bond paid will be refunded by the facility. When the balance of the bond is refunded, the person's income and assets will need to be reviewed to take account of the funds received.
If the person commences paying private rent, rent assistance may be payable.
The person providing care for the pensioner may be entitled to income support as a carer. The carer should be referred to Centrelink.
Each daily data matching run for income tested fees produces a “clients discharged” report. This report lists DVA income support pensioners who have been discharged from aged care since the last run of the data matching file with a reason for discharge.
The report is useful for picking up any cases where a pensioner has departed aged care but DVA has not been advised of their changed circumstances. Such cases will need to have action taken according to the sections above.
Links
[1] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/32710%23comment-form
[2] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/32513%23comment-form
[3] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/32736%23comment-form
[4] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/32522%23comment-form
[5] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/32633%23comment-form
[6] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/32578%23comment-form
[7] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/32532%23comment-form
[8] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/32534%23comment-form