Commonwealth Consolidated Acts Commonwealth Consolidated ActsAct No. 114 of 1997 as amended
This compilation was prepared on 31 May 2006
[This Act was amended by Act No. 132 of 1999; Nos. 57 and 73 of 2002; No. 100 of 2005; No. 28 of 2006]
Amendments from Act No. 132 of 1999
[Schedule 5 (item 1) added section 78A
Schedule 5 (item 2) added section 81A
Schedule 5 (item 3) added item 45A to Schedule 1
Schedule 5 (item 4) added item 49A to Schedule 1
The amendments made by items 1 and 2 commenced on 21 October 1999
The amendments made by items 3 and 4 commenced on 1 October 1997]
Amendment from Act No. 57 of 2002
[Schedule 12 (item 38) amended item 30 of Schedule 5
Schedule 12 (item 38) commenced on 1 October 1997]
Amendments from Act No. 73 of 2002
[Schedule 3 (item 1) repealed and substituted item 60 of Schedule 4
Schedule 3 (item 2) repealed and substituted item 75 of Schedule 4
Schedule 3 (items 1 and 2) commenced on 1 October 1997]
Amendments from Act No. 100 of 2005
[Schedule 2 (item 1) repealed and substituted heading to item 42 of Schedule 3
Schedule 2 (item 2) added item 42A to Schedule 3
Schedule 2 (items 1 and 2) commenced immediately after 1 October 1997]
Amendments from Act No. 28 of 2006
[Schedule 2 (items 10-12) amended section 71
Schedule 2 (items 10-12) commenced on 31 May 2006]
Prepared by the Office of Legislative Drafting and Publishing,
Attorney-General's Department, Canberra
Arrangement of this Act
This Act has been arranged to reflect the arrangement of the Aged Care Act 1997. Both Acts are divided into Chapters which are further divided into Parts. Each Chapter (except for Chapter 1) and Part of this Act contains transitional provisions arising from the corresponding Chapter and Part of the Aged Care Act 1997. If there are no transitional provisions for a particular Chapter or Part, a note to this effect is set out below the Chapter or Part heading.
Some Parts in this Act are further divided into Divisions. These Divisions do not correspond to the Divisions in the Aged Care Act 1997.
Contents
Chapter 1--Preliminary 1
1............ Short title ............................................................................................ 1
2............ Commencement .................................................................................. 1
3............ Definitions .......................................................................................... 1
4............ Identifying terms used in the new Act ............................................... 2
5............ Schedule(s) .......................................................................................... 2
Chapter 2--Transitional provisions relating to Chapter 2 of the Aged Care Act 1997 3
Part 2.1--Approved providers 3
Division 1--Nursing homes 3
6............ Applications to be an approved operator .......................................... 3
7............ Approved operators and proprietors ................................................. 3
8............ Continuation of notice under section 39BB ....................................... 4
Division 2--Hostels 6
9............ Applications to be an approved operator .......................................... 6
10.......... Approved operators ........................................................................... 6
11.......... Continuation of notice under section 10AC ....................................... 7
Division 3--Community aged care services 9
12.......... Applications to be an approved provider of community aged care services 9
13.......... Approved providers of community aged care services ...................... 9
14.......... Continuation of notice under section 10GD ..................................... 10
Part 2.2--Allocation of places 12
Division 1--Nursing homes 12
15.......... Applications for approval in principle of nursing homes ................ 12
16.......... Approvals in principle of nursing homes ......................................... 12
17.......... Applications to vary or revoke approvals in principle of nursing homes 13
18.......... Applications for approval of nursing homes without section 39A or 39B certificates 15
19.......... Applications for approval of nursing homes with section 39A certificates 15
20.......... Approvals of nursing homes ............................................................ 16
21.......... Applications for approval in principle of transfers ......................... 17
22.......... Approvals in principle of transfers .................................................. 19
23.......... Applications to alter conditions of approval of nursing homes ....... 19
Division 2--Hostels 21
24.......... Applications for approval in principle of hostels ............................ 21
25.......... Approvals in principle of hostels ..................................................... 21
26.......... Applications to vary or revoke approvals in principle of hostels ... 22
27.......... Applications for approval of hostels without section 9AB certificates 24
28.......... Applications for approval of hostels with section 9AB certificates 24
29.......... Approvals of hostels ........................................................................ 25
30.......... Applications for approval in principle of transfers ......................... 26
31.......... Applications for revocation of approvals of hostels ........................ 28
Division 3--Community aged care services 29
32.......... Applications for financial assistance for community aged care services packages 29
33.......... Approvals of financial assistance for community aged care services packages 29
34.......... Applications to revoke approvals of financial assistance for community aged care services packages 30
Part 2.3--Approval of care recipients 32
Division 1--Nursing homes 32
35.......... Applications for approval for admission to a nursing home ............ 32
36.......... Approvals for admission to a nursing home ..................................... 32
37.......... Admission to a nursing home prior to approval ............................... 33
Division 2--Hostels 34
38.......... Eligible persons ................................................................................. 34
Division 3--Community aged care services 36
39.......... Eligible persons ................................................................................. 36
Part 2.4--Classification of care recipients 37
Division 1--Nursing homes 37
40.......... Continuation of classifications under 1953 Act ............................... 37
41.......... Person admitted to nursing home before commencement day but no classification in force on that day 37
42.......... Undecided section 40AFD applications--classification to expire after commencement day 38
43.......... Review by Secretary ......................................................................... 38
44.......... Appeals to Minister ......................................................................... 39
45.......... Certain suspension conditions taken to be satisfied ......................... 39
46.......... Suspensions under 1953 Act from making classifications to continue under new Act 40
47.......... Review of determinations ................................................................. 41
48.......... Effect of certain determinations ........................................................ 41
Division 2--Hostels 42
49.......... Classifications under 1954 Act that were in force immediately before commencement day 42
50.......... Person admitted to hostel before commencement day but no classification in force on that day 42
Part 2.5--Extra service places 44
51.......... Applications for exempt bed status ................................................. 44
52.......... Exempt bed status ............................................................................ 44
53.......... Applications to revoke exempt bed status ....................................... 46
54.......... Applications to extend exempt bed status ....................................... 47
55.......... Extensions of exempt bed status ...................................................... 47
56.......... Additional exempt bed fees .............................................................. 48
57.......... Requests for approval of redeterminations of additional exempt bed fees 49
58.......... Patients occupying exempt beds ...................................................... 49
Part 2.6--Certification of residential care services 51
Chapter 3--Transitional provisions relating to Chapter 3 of the Aged Care Act 1997 52
Part 3.1--Residential care subsidy 52
59.......... Eligibility for residential care subsidy for the day provision of residential care stops 52
60.......... Additional amounts in respect of staffing and related costs ............. 52
61.......... Overpayments and underpayments of Commonwealth benefit ....... 53
62.......... Nasogastric feeding ........................................................................... 54
63.......... Eligible oxygen treatment .................................................................. 54
64.......... Extra service reductions for exempt residents .................................. 54
65.......... Compensation payable to nursing home patient .............................. 56
66.......... Daily income tested reduction for exempt residents taken to be zero 56
67.......... Determinations under section 5 of the Aged Care Income Testing Act 1997 57
Part 3.2--Community care subsidy 58
Part 3.3--Flexible care subsidy 58
Chapter 4--Transitional provisions relating to Chapter 4 of the Aged Care Act 1997 59
Part 4.1--Quality of care 59
Part 4.2--User rights 60
Division 1--Nursing homes 60
68.......... Extra service amounts for exempt residents ..................................... 60
69.......... Agreements between nursing home proprietors and residents ......... 61
Division 2--Hostels 63
70.......... Variable hostel fees ........................................................................... 63
71.......... Formal agreements between hostel operators and residents ............. 64
Division 3--Community aged care services 68
72.......... Formal agreements between hostel operators and residents ............. 68
Part 4.3--Accountability 69
73.......... Direction to appoint nursing home advisor ...................................... 69
Part 4.4--Consequences of non-compliance 70
Division 1--Nursing homes 70
74.......... Declarations of non-compliance with standards ............................... 70
75.......... Determinations that Commonwealth benefit payable is not payable 70
76.......... Suspensions of exempt bed status .................................................... 71
77.......... Declarations of non-compliance with conditions ............................. 72
78.......... Determinations that Commonwealth benefit is not payable ............ 72
78A....... Breaches of conditions before commencement day .......................... 73
Division 2--Hostels 74
79.......... Declarations of failure to meet standards ......................................... 74
80.......... Suspensions of approvals of financial assistance ............................. 74
81.......... Variations of agreements ................................................................... 75
81A....... Breaches of conditions before commencement day .......................... 76
Chapter 5--Transitional provisions relating to Chapter 5 of the Aged Care Act 1997 77
Part 5.1--Residential care grants 77
82.......... Applications for capital grants ......................................................... 77
83.......... Variation of certificates (approvals in principle) .............................. 78
Part 5.2--Community care grants 79
Part 5.3--Assessment grants 79
Part 5.4--Accreditation grants 79
Part 5.5--Advocacy grants 79
Part 5.6--Community visitors grants 79
Part 5.7--Other grants 79
Chapter 6--Transitional provisions relating to Chapter 6 of the Aged Care Act 1997 80
Part 6.1--Review of decisions 80
84.......... Reconsiderations of determinations under section 5 of the Aged Care Income Testing Act 1997 80
85.......... Applications under section 11 of the Aged Care Income Testing Act 1997 for reconsideration of determinations under section 5 of that Act ......................................................................... 80
86.......... AAT review of decisions relating to determinations under section 5 of the Aged Care Income Testing Act 1997 81
Part 6.2--Protection of information 82
87.......... Protected information ....................................................................... 82
Part 6.3--Record keeping 83
Part 6.4--Powers of officers 83
Part 6.5--Recovery of overpayments 83
Chapter 7--Miscellaneous 84
Schedule 1--Amendment of the National Health Act 1953 85
65GAA. Effect on investigation periods of commencement of the Aged Care Act 1997 95
Schedule 2--Amendment of the Aged or Disabled Persons Care Act 1954 96
Schedule 3--Amendment of the Social Security Act 1991 103
Part 1--Abolition of residential care allowance 103
Part 2--Rent assistance and related matters 108
102E...... Application provision--abolition of residential care allowance and amendments relating to rent assistance 111
Part 3--Review provisions 112
102AA.. Review of decisions under section 5 of the Aged Care Income Testing Act 1997 112
102B..... Applications for review of decisions made under section 5 of the Aged Care Income Testing Act 1997 113
102C..... Review by SSAT of decisions relating to determinations under section 5 of the Aged Care Income Testing Act 1997 ........................................................................................................ 113
102D..... Review by AAT of decisions relating to determinations under section 5 of the Aged Care Income Testing Act 1997 ........................................................................................................ 114
Part 4--Other amendments 115
Schedule 4--Amendment of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 117
Part 1--Abolition of residential care allowance 117
Part 2--Rent assistance and related matters 122
5NC...... In care definitions ........................................................................... 124
Part 3--Other amendments 129
Schedule 5--Amendment and repeal of other Acts 130
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission Act 1989 130
Aged Care Income Testing Act 1997 130
Freedom of Information Act 1982 130
Health and Other Services (Compensation) Act 1995 130
Division 2--Nursing home benefit and residential care subsidy 131
Home and Community Care Act 1985 133
Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 133
Student and Youth Assistance Act 1973 133
Schedule 6--Amendment of the National Health Act 1953 relating to domiciliary nursing care benefit 135