You have the right to change your Support at Home provider if your current arrangement no longer meets your needs or preferences. 

You may be looking for clearer pricing, more visibility over your funding or greater choice over your support workers and service providers. Moving to a provider that offers self-managed aged care can give you more involvement in arranging your services without removing the support and oversight of a registered provider. 

Here are the main steps involved in switching. 

Before comparing providers, identify what is not working in your current aged care arrangement. 

You may want: 

Self-management can involve choosing workers, coordinating services, arranging schedules, monitoring your budget or reviewing invoices. You and your provider agree on which responsibilities you will manage as part of your care plan. 

Look for a registered Support at Home provider that offers the level of self-management you want. 

Ask each provider: 

You can compare registered providers through the My Aged Care Find a Provider tool. Provider profiles include information about available services, published prices, specialised care and compliance history. 

Although different workers and businesses may deliver your services, your ongoing Support at Home arrangement is overseen by one registered provider. That provider can engage approved third-party workers as part of your self-managed arrangement. 

It is usually best to find a new provider before agreeing on an exit date with your current one. 

This reduces the risk of an interruption to important services such as personal care, nursing, domestic assistance or meal support. 

Speak with the new provider about your approved services, current workers and self-management preferences. They can explain whether they can support the arrangement you want before you commit. 

Once you have selected a new provider, tell your current provider that you are changing and agree on an exit date. 

You should also give them the details of your new provider. Your current provider must continue delivering services under your existing care plan and service agreement until the agreed exit date. They cannot charge an exit amount when you leave. 

Check your current service agreement for any notice requirements and outstanding participant contributions. 

You may need to contact My Aged Care to transfer your referral to the new provider. 

The new provider must accept the referral through the My Aged Care portal. Your new service agreement can begin on or after your agreed exit date with the previous provider. Aligning these dates can help avoid a break in your care. 

Your new provider will work with you to prepare: 

Review these documents carefully. Make sure they explain who will schedule services, approve workers, check invoices, monitor spending and respond when something changes. 

Your Support at Home funding moves with you to your new provider, including unspent funding available for ongoing services. 

Your outgoing provider must finalise claims, issue a final monthly statement and share information about your remaining budget with the new provider. Government-held unspent Home Care Package funds, where applicable, also remain available after the transfer. 

At Leora Healthcare, we can help you understand what switching involves before you make a decision. 

We will discuss how involved you want to be, the workers or providers you would like to keep and how your services may fit within your available Support at Home budget. 

Talk to Leora about switching to self-managed aged care with clearer costs, greater choice and an experienced care team behind you.