Services Aust updating residential care payment system

Services Australia is replacing the System for the Payment of Aged Residential Care (SPARC) enabling policy and legislative changes, to be more responsive and flexible. This will impact all residential aged care services.

To allow for system replacement, the Aged Care Payment System will not be available at its full capacity from 14 to 22 July 2022 inclusive, the Department of Health said in a statement. Providers will not be able to submit events or finalise claims for residential aged care services using either the Services Australia Aged Care Provider Portal, or Services Australia Aged Care Web Services.

They must finalise outstanding claims by 10 July 2022 to avoid any delays to payments. The July advance will be paid as normal. Providers will be paid the August advance early (mid-July) to minimise financial impacts.

To help providers get ready for changes, the Department has provided some tips to support them through this transition.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/NATEE MEEPIAN