News Brief: English
Summary
Major changes to Australia’s aged home care funding system have sparked a cash conflict. While government funding has increased, new fee caps for providers have led some to allegedly demand kickbacks from equipment and service suppliers, threatening consumer choice and raising legal concerns.
Key Points
- Policy Shift: The new ‘Support at Home’ program (replacing Home Care Packages) caps provider management fees at 10%, down from up to 30%.
- Alleged Kickbacks: Providers, facing revenue loss, are reportedly pressuring suppliers for “monetary returns,” commissions, or flat fees for client referrals.
- Supplier Coercion: Suppliers refusing kickbacks risk being blacklisted from provider “exclusive lists,” limiting client access.
- Funding Boom: Government home care funding grew 29.2% to ~$8.8 billion annually, with the top 25 providers receiving nearly half.
- Market Stress: Recent collapses of major providers have left suppliers unpaid, making them wary of exclusive deals.
- Principle Undermined: This practice conflicts with the new Act’s core principle of individual choice and is banned in schemes like the NDIS.
新闻简报：中文
摘要
澳大利亚居家老年护理资助体系的重大改革引发了一场资金冲突。尽管政府拨款增加，但对服务提供商管理费的新限制导致部分机构被指控向设备和服务的供应商索要回扣，这威胁了消费者的选择权并引发了法律担忧。
关键点
- 政策转变：新的”居家支持”计划（取代家庭护理套餐）将提供商管理费上限降至10%，而此前最高可达30%。
- 涉嫌回扣：面临收入损失的提供商据报告要求供应商为获得客户推荐提供”金钱回报”、佣金或固定费用。
- 供应商胁迫：拒绝提供回扣的供应商可能被列入黑名单，无法进入提供商的”独家名单”，从而限制客户选择。
- 资金激增：政府居家护理资金年增长29.2%，达到约88亿澳元，其中近一半流向最大的25家提供商。
- 市场压力：近期主要提供商的倒闭导致供应商无法收款，使其对独家合作安排持谨慎态度。
- 原则受损：该做法违背了新法案”个人选择权”的核心原则，且在NDIS等其他政府项目中明令禁止。
Original Article Link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-04/home-care-package-kickbacks-row-between-providers-suppliers/106095962