Waiting for your My Aged Care

The hardest part of MyAged Care is often the waiting. After you apply there can be a wait for your assessment, and after you're approved there can be a longer wait for funding. The good news is that you are not powerless in the meantime. Here is what you can actually do right now.

First, if you haven't applied yet, apply today

You can't get funded services, and you can't hold a place in the queue, until you've applied and been assessed. So this is the one thing not to put off. Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or apply online. (Our guide "My Aged Care: A Quickstart Guide for Applying" walks you through it.)

If you need help urgently, say so. Tell My Aged Care your situation is urgent. Some short-term support can be arranged quickly, sometimes before a full assessment is finished, when it isn't safe to wait.

Your "do now" checklist

• Ask about entry-level help through CHSP. The Commonwealth Home Support Programme is the government's entry-level program for things like cleaning, meals, transport, social support and light personal care. It still runs separately from Support at Home. Ask My Aged Care whether you can access CHSP services while you wait.
• Consider paying privately as a stopgap. If you can manage it, private (non government-funded) services can cover the gap, for example a cleaner, a meal service, or some personal care, until your funding comes through. You can often use the same providers you'll use later.
• Get ready to move fast. Once your funding is allocated, the clock starts (see below). Use the waiting time to research providers, read reviews, and shortlist a couple you like, so you can start quickly. (See "Questions to ask when choosing an aged care provider.")
• Get your paperwork together. Have your Medicare card, a second form of ID, a list of your medicines, and your GP's details ready.
• Plan your budget. Some services are free and some you contribute towards. Use the Support at Home fee estimator on the My Aged Care website so there are no surprises. (See "Fees and contributions, explained")
• Set up a supporter. You can register a trusted person to help make and manage your aged care decisions, which makes everything easier to handle.
• Get free, independent help. The Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) can guide you through the system and speak up for you. Call 1800 700 600. Free Aged Care Navigators can also help with forms and next steps.
• Look after the carer. If a family member is caring for you, respite and carer support are available now, not just once your package starts. (See "Help for carers and family members")

Approved but still waiting? Understand the queue

This is the part that confuses and frustrates people most. Being approved does not mean funding starts straight away. Here's how it really works.

• The queue is based on need, not the date you applied. When you're assessed, you're placed in a priority category (for example urgent, high, medium or standard). People with the most urgent needs are funded first. Within each category, funding generally follows your approval date.
• Find out your category. It's in your Notice of Decision letter. If you're not sure which category you're in, or roughly where you sit, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and ask.
• Interim funding may start you sooner. If your wait is longer than expected, you may be offered interim funding, which releases about 60% of your approved budget so the most important services can begin while the rest catches up.
• If your situation gets worse, ask for a reassessment. If your health declines or your carer can no longer help, call My Aged Care and request a reassessment. It may move you to a higher priority and shorten your wait. Don't stay quiet while things slide.
• Keep your details up to date so you don't miss a call or letter. Remember the assessor may call from a private or "No Caller ID" number.

When your funding is allocated, act quickly

Once you're offered funding, you have 56 days from the date of the letter to sign a service agreement with a provider and start services. If you need more time to choose the right provider, call My Aged Care and ask for a 28-day extension. If you don't start in time, the funding can be withdrawn and offered to the next person, and you'd have to rejoin the queue. This is exactly why it pays to have a provider shortlisted before the offer arrives.

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