New home care package rules limit claims but Labor government denies they amount to cuts

Department of Health and Aged Care rejects accusations that rules introduced new exclusions, saying they only provided clarification

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A new set of rules for home care packages issued by the Australian health department has limited access to allied health services and non-medical supports such as in-home heating and cooling.

The Albanese government has rejected claims that the rules, issued in January, amount to cuts to the $4.4bn-a-year scheme accessed by 215,000 older Australians, saying they merely clarify existing exclusions due to inappropriate claims by providers.

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