FOI 26-2543 – SAH Contributions

Written by Claude Haiku 4.5 from the extracted text on 16 May 2026. It can miss or misread redacted and scanned pages. Check the source before relying on it.

This FOI release contains internal Department of Health email communications regarding interim fee arrangements for the Support at Home (SAH) program. The documents outline guidance for service providers on how to manage participant contributions during the income and assets assessment period, which Services Australia aims to complete within 28 days but may take longer. Key details include: providers receive 100% subsidy payment if claims are lodged before assessment completion, with any overpayments becoming participant debts once the formal means assessment is backdated to the service start date. The guidance suggests providers and participants can negotiate temporary contribution rates to avoid "bill shock," with rates varying by pension status (full pensioners typically paying 5% for independence services and 17.5% for everyday-living services, versus non-pensioners paying 50-80%). Once Services Australia finalizes assessments, new contribution rates are backdated and providers must refund overpayments or collect underpayments accordingly.