# 2026 Australian Source Brief — My Aged Care Navigation Model | Field | Detail | | ------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Type** | Australian source brief — single-entry assessment and referral system | | **Status** | Reference | | **Date** | June 2026 | | **Classification** | Neutral business/campaign intelligence | --- ## Why This Matters for NZ New Zealand's aged care assessment and navigation system is fragmented. The **Needs Assessment and Service Coordination (NASC)** system operates differently across 20+ regions, with varying assessment criteria, wait times, and service availability. Older people and their families often report confusion about where to start, how to access services, and what they are entitled to. Australia's **My Aged Care** is a single national gateway that provides a consistent, streamlined entry point for all aged care services — assessment, referral, information, and service management. Since its launch in 2013 and subsequent enhancements, it has become the central pillar of Australia's aged care system. For NZ, where health system restructuring (Health NZ establishment in 2022-24) has created an opportunity to redesign assessment and navigation, understanding My Aged Care's strengths and weaknesses offers direct lessons. --- ## Key NZ-Relevant Data and Findings ### My Aged Care — System Overview | Feature | Detail | | -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Launched** | 2013 (enhanced 2015, 2018, 2024) | | **Governing body** | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care | | **Purpose** | Single national entry point for all aged care services | | **Functions** | Information, self-assessment, referral for comprehensive assessment, service matching, provider directory, care plan management | | **Assessment types** | Regional Assessment Service (RAS) for basic home support; Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) for higher-level care | | **Output** | Aged Care Plan (authorising Home Care Packages, residential care, or other services) | | **User channels** | Online portal (www.myagedcare.gov.au), phone (1800 200 422), face-to-face assessors | Source: Australian Government, _My Aged Care_ (https://www.myagedcare.gov.au); Australian National Audit Office, _Management of My Aged Care_ (2023). ### My Aged Care — Key Features #### 1. Single National Entry Point - **One phone number, one website** for all aged care enquiries nationwide - Consistent screening questions regardless of location - Referrals to the appropriate assessment type (RAS for home support, ACAT for higher-level care or residential care) - Available to all older people, families, health professionals, and providers #### 2. Standardised Assessment Process | Assessment | Purpose | Conducted by | Outcome | | ------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- | | **Self-assessment (online)** | Initial screening for home support | User | Recommended service types | | **Regional Assessment Service (RAS)** | Assess need for basic home support (Levels 1-2) | RAS assessors (employed by regional organisations) | Home Support Assessment; referral for CHSP services | | **Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT)** | Assess need for higher-level care (Home Care Packages Levels 3-4, residential care, respite) | Multidisciplinary teams (typically health professionals) | Aged Care Plan approving specific services | Sources: Department of Health and Aged Care, _Aged Care Assessment Program Guidelines_ (2024); My Aged Care website. #### 3. Digital Infrastructure - **My Aged Care online portal** allows users to: - Complete self-assessment - Check application status - View approved services - Search for providers - Manage referrals - **Provider Portal** allows providers to: - Receive referrals - Accept/decline care recipients - Submit care plans - Report service delivery data - **Integration with**: - My Health Record (national e-health records) - Medicare and Centrelink (income/support data) - National Provider Register #### 4. Waitlist Management and Transparency - My Aged Care publishes **national and regional wait times** for Home Care Packages - Users can see their **position on the waitlist** and estimated wait time - **Priority categorisation** (e.g., highest priority for those at risk of hospital admission) - As of 2024, the waitlist for Level 3-4 Home Care Packages has been significantly reduced following the 2023-24 funding boost Source: Department of Health and Aged Care, _Home Care Packages Quarterly Data Reports_ (2024). --- ## NZ NASC System vs My Aged Care | Feature | NZ NASC System | Australia My Aged Care | | ------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | **Entry point** | 20+ regional NASC providers; no single national contact | Single national phone number + website | | **Consistency** | Assessment criteria vary by region; InterRAI used but interpretation varies | Nationally standardised assessment; consistent tools and decision-making | | **Online access** | Limited; some regions have online forms | Comprehensive online portal with account management | | **Waitlist transparency** | No public waitlist data; wait times vary by region | Published regional wait times; user-specific queue position | | **Service entitlement** | Not entitlement-based (capped hours) | Entitlement-based for Home Care Packages (legally required to fund) | | **Provider directory** | No central directory; word-of-mouth or regional lists | Searchable national provider directory with quality information | | **Integration** | Separate from Health NZ, MSD, and other systems | Integrated with Medicare, My Health Record, Centrelink | | **User feedback** | Mixed — many report confusion and frustration | Generally positive post-2018 reforms; still room for improvement | | **Cost to run** | Distributed across DHB/Health NZ regional budgets | Centralised funding ~$200M/year (2023-24) | Sources: Health NZ, _Home and Community Support Services Framework_; My Aged Care Annual Reports; Select Committee evidence (NZ, 2024-25). ### What NZ Could Learn #### 1. National Single Gateway - **A single phone number and website** for all aged care enquiries would dramatically simplify navigation for older people and their families - Health NZ's establishment creates a natural opportunity to consolidate the 20+ NASC contracts into a nationally consistent service - Australia's My Aged Care provides a proven template, but NZ should adapt rather than copy — a smaller population means shared services with primary care or Healthline is possible #### 2. Standardised Assessment and Entitlement - **Australia's ACAT/RAS structure** separates basic and complex assessments — NZ could move from a single NASC assessment to a tiered model - **InterRAI is already used** in many NZ regions — standardising its application and linking assessment to guaranteed service levels would be a natural reform - **Moving from capped hours to entitlement-based home care** is the biggest policy step — NZ would need to fund this, but Australia's experience shows the demand is real and manageable #### 3. Digital Infrastructure - **Aged care-specific digital platform** would reduce administrative burden on assessors and providers - **Integration with Health NZ's national systems** (being developed post-2022 reforms) is technically feasible - **Provider directory with quality information** (linked to star ratings or audit outcomes) would increase consumer choice #### 4. Transparency - **Published wait times** would increase accountability and allow older people to plan - **Personal queue position** would reduce anxiety and uncertainty - **National provider standards** searchable by location, type, and quality rating --- ## Political Relevance ### Australian Political Context - My Aged Care was established under the **Labor government (2013)** and retained/expanded under subsequent Coalition and Labor governments - The system was **significantly criticised** in early years for technology failures and long assessment wait times - **Post-2018 Royal Commission**, the system was enhanced with $500M+ in additional digital and assessment funding - The **2024-25 Budget** allocated further $300M for My Aged Care enhancements - **Bipartisan support** for the single-entry model — it is now considered settled policy ### Implications for NZ Politics - **Health NZ's establishment** (2022-24) was the right structural moment to redesign NASC — the opportunity is still open - **The 2026 election** could see parties commit to a "My Aged Care-style" single gateway, particularly if Australia's system is profiled in NZ media - **Regional resistance** may come from NASC providers who currently hold regional monopolies - **MSD and Health NZ** would need to collaborate — My Aged Care sits under the Department of Health and Aged Care in Australia, with links to Centrelink (MSD equivalent) ### Likely Party Positions | Party | Likely Stance | | ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **National** | Open to consolidation but cautious about cost | | **Labour** | Likely to support a national gateway as part of health system integration | | **NZ First** | Would support if it improves rural access | | **ACT** | Would support if it reduces bureaucracy (but may oppose new centralised system) | | **Green** | Strongly support as access and equity measure | | **Te Pāti Māori** | Would support if it includes Kaupapa Māori assessment pathways | --- ## Business Implications ### For Home Care Providers - **A single national gateway** would create a more transparent and competitive market for home care services - **Provider directory inclusion** would be crucial for business development — similar to how My Aged Care drives referrals to listed providers - **Standardised assessment** would reduce the need for providers to conduct their own assessments - **Waitlist transparency** would help providers plan capacity ### For NASC Organisations - **Current NASC providers** may face disintermediation or role change — from assessment and coordination to pure assessment (like Australia's RAS/ACAT) - **Transition period** would require change management and potential restructuring - **New business models** could emerge around specialised assessment, care coordination, or advocacy ### For Technology Vendors - **A national aged care IT platform** would be a significant procurement opportunity - **Australia's My Aged Care** was built by Accenture (2013) and enhanced by multiple vendors — NZ could learn from their technology choices - **InterRAI integration**, online assessment tools, provider portals, and consumer-facing mobile apps would all be needed --- ## Campaign Relevance ### Key Messages 1. **"Australia has one number, one website for aged care. NZ has 20+ regional systems that families have to navigate alone"** — the simplicity gap 2. **"My Aged Care transformed Australia's aged care system from fragmented to connected. NZ could do the same"** — the opportunity 3. **"Older New Zealanders and their families deserve a system that's as easy to navigate as Australia's"** — consumer-focused framing 4. **"Health NZ was created to standardise and integrate — NASC reform should be the next step"** — reform continuity framing 5. **"Australia publishes Home Care Package wait times by region. NZ families are kept in the dark"** — transparency framing ### Campaign Strategy - **Consumer advocacy**: Age Concern, Carers NZ, and Grey Power could lead a campaign for a "single national gateway" - **Policy advocacy**: Submissions to the Health Select Committee and Health NZ could use My Aged Care as a proven model - **Media**: Comparative stories about NZ families vs Australian families navigating aged care - **Election 2026**: Ask all parties to commit to a national aged care gateway within the next parliamentary term --- ## Source List ### Australian Government Sources 1. My Aged Care (official site) — https://www.myagedcare.gov.au 2. Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, _Aged Care Assessment Program Guidelines_ (2024) — https://www.health.gov.au 3. Australian National Audit Office (2023), _Management of My Aged Care_ — https://www.anao.gov.au 4. Australian Government, _Home Care Packages Quarterly Data Reports_ (2024) — https://www.health.gov.au 5. Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission — https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au 6. Australian Government, _Aged Care Act 2024_ — https://www.legislation.gov.au 7. Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety (2021), _Final Report: Care, Dignity and Respect_ — https://agedcare.royalcommission.gov.au ### NZ Government and Official Sources 8. Health NZ | Te Whatu Ora, _Home and Community Support Services Framework_ — https://www.healthnz.govt.nz 9. Health NZ, _Needs Assessment and Service Coordination (NASC)_ — regional service specifications 10. HDC (2024), _Amplifying the Voices of Older People_ — recommendation for single navigator role — https://www.hdc.org.nz 11. MSD (2025), _Meeting the Future Needs of Older New Zealanders_ — https://www.msd.govt.nz 12. Office for Seniors, _Better Later Life Strategy_ — https://www.officeforseniors.govt.nz 13. Health NZ (2024), _The Health of Older People and Aged Care in New Zealand_ — https://www.health.govt.nz 14. Sapere Research Group / Health NZ (2024), _Aged Care Service Model and Funding Review_ — https://www.healthnz.govt.nz --- _Part of the NZ Seniors Knowledge Base — Home Care and Community Support layer_ _Location: `04_Home_Care_and_Community_Support/`_ _Last updated: June 2026_