New $130m bill set to cause ‘bedlam’ in the aged care system
Aged care facilities are about to be hit with a new bill which will cost $130 million nationally.
Pharmacists are charging about $700 a year to sort medication into dosage boxes following the move to 60-day dispensing. With an estimated 188,000 residents in aged care serviced by pharmacists, this equates to an annual cost of $130 million.
Neil Mitchell says it’ll “cause bedlam in aged care”.
Press PLAY below to hear what’s happening + why it has Neil Mitchell concerned
Some aged care homes are passing the cost on to residents, but Neil Mitchell has seen a letter sent to aged care providers by the Department of Health and Aged Care stating that this isn’t permitted.
“These costs are reflected in your AN-ACC funding, are the responsibility of the approved provider and cannot be passed onto the resident,” the letter reads.