There’s a compliance problem in aged care that directly affects what you pay, and the regulator has named it: pricing transparency. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission has been working with Support at Home providers to improve compliance with the new legislation, and has found that pricing transparency is one of the most common issues. In plain terms, some providers aren’t being clear enough about what they charge. Here’s what you’re entitled to know and what to do about it.
What the Regulator Found
Under the new Aged Care Act, providers face a new audit process aligned to registration requirements, and the Commission has been actively working with Support at Home providers on compliance. Pricing transparency has emerged as one of the most common problems identified.
That matters because, with the service price caps deferred indefinitely, there’s no fixed ceiling on what a provider can charge. Transparency is therefore the main protection consumers have: if you can see clearly what you’re being charged and why, you can compare, question and challenge it. When transparency fails, you’re paying in the dark.
What Your Provider Must Tell You
Under the new rights-based framework, you’re entitled to clear information about pricing and services. In practice, that means your provider should give you clear, understandable pricing for the services you receive, before you agree to them. You should receive monthly statements setting out what services were delivered, what they cost, what the government contributed and what you contributed. Your service agreement should set out the pricing arrangements plainly. And you should be able to get a clear answer when you ask what something costs.
Notably, providers cannot charge entry or exit fees, and the Commission now has powers to order refunds where providers have overcharged.
The Warning Signs
A few signs your provider may not be meeting the standard. You don’t receive monthly statements, or they arrive irregularly. The statements are vague, so you can’t tell what you were charged for. You can’t get a straight answer when you ask what a service costs. Charges appear that weren’t explained beforehand. Or the pricing in your service agreement is unclear or doesn’t match what you’re being billed.
Any of these is worth raising, and none of them is something you should simply accept.
What to Do About It
Start with your provider directly. Ask for a clear breakdown of what you’re being charged and why, and request your monthly statements if you’re not getting them. Most issues resolve at this stage, and a good provider will be happy to explain.
If you don’t get a satisfactory answer, escalate to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, the independent regulator, which has a dedicated complaints process and real powers, including ordering refunds for overcharging. You can also get free, independent help from the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) on 1800 700 600, which supports older people to understand their rights and raise concerns.
Compare Before You Commit
Prevention helps too. When choosing or reviewing a provider, ask directly about pricing: what each service costs, what’s included, whether there are any additional charges, and how they issue statements. A provider that answers clearly and in writing is showing you something good; one that’s evasive is showing you something too.
The quarterly National Summary of Support at Home Prices, which publishes median prices and ranges across the sector, is a useful benchmark for judging whether your rates sit in the normal band. Details are on My Aged Care.
The Bottom Line
With price caps deferred, transparency is your main protection on aged care costs, and the regulator has found it’s one of the most common compliance failures among Support at Home providers. You’re entitled to clear pricing, regular monthly statements, and straight answers when you ask what something costs. If you’re not getting them, raise it with your provider, escalate to the Commission if needed, and use OPAN’s free advocacy. Don’t pay in the dark. This is general information, not aged care, legal or financial advice.
Epik Wire covers aged care in plain language for older Australians and their families. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed.
