HCP Expenditure Inclusions & Exclusions

Overview

The HCP Program is designed to provide care and services that support you to live safely and independently in your home. This can include both services and products or equipment to support you.

By law, HCP funds must not be used as a source of general income or for usual household expenses, as they are only intended to assist with age-related care needs. HCP funds also cannot be used for expenses that are covered by other Government-funded programs – for example, Medicare or the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

The Government publishes information about what can and cannot be purchased using HCP funds - Home Care Packages Program Manual (PDF) | My Aged Care and Home Care Packages Program Inclusions and exclusions FAQs for providers.

As these lists are not exhaustive, we’ve put together a more detailed list below to help you understand what your funds can be used for.

Generally, expenditure falls into one of the following three categories:

Included: these are services and products that all Home Care Package recipients can access, provided they meet an assessed care need (i.e. they appear on your Care Plan).
Requires review: these are services and products that HCP recipients can only access under specific circumstances, often with the support or recommendation of a medical professional.
Excluded: these items are specifically excluded by law from the HCP Program. HCP funds must not be used on these items or services, with potential penalties and sanctions for Providers who ignore these exclusions.

Aunty Grace HCP expenditure – inclusions & exclusions list

Care services
Expenditure	Description	Included	Requires Review	Excluded	Comment
Personal care	Hands on care including showering, grooming, toileting and dressing, as well as assistance with hoists or mobility	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Domestic Assistance	Basic Domestic Duties, Routine Cleaning, Meal Preparation, Banking, Assistance with Paying bills, Pet Walking	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Medication Assistance	Support with taking medication, including reminders	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Transport	Transport in a support worker's care to attends appointments, etc.	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Social Support	Companionship and assistance to stay connected with family and friends, attend social activities and access the community	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Shopping	Assistance to complete shopping in the community	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Planned Activity Groups	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Day Therapy or Prescribed Exercise	Exercise groups or individual exercise that is prescribed or led by a physiotherapist or exercise physiologist	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
In-home respite	Companion / carer support in the home up to 24 hours / day	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Day respite	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Cottage respite	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan

Home Maintenance
Expenditure	Description	Included	Requires Review	Excluded	Comment
Light Gardening	Lawn mowing, edge trimming, spraying weeds, tree trimming, clearing paths and driveways	-	❓	-	Identified in Care Plan
Changing Light Bulbs	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Check and Change Smoke Alarms	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Gutter Cleaning	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Ramp Installation	-	-	❓	-	Assessed & prescribed by appropriate Health Professional; work completed by a certified supplier
Rail installation	-	-	❓	-	Assessed & prescribed by appropriate Health Professional; work completed by a certified supplier
Bathroom Modifications	Installation of rails, specialised taps, shower heads etc., or other devices prescribed by an OT to increase independence	-	❓	-	Assessed & prescribed by appropriate Health Professional; work completed by a certified supplier
Accessibility modifications	-	-	❓	-	Assessed & prescribed by appropriate Health Professional; work completed by a certified supplier
Carpet replacement	-	-	❓	-	Assessed & prescribed by appropriate Health Professional; work completed by a certified supplier
Day respite	-	-	❓	-	Assessed & prescribed by appropriate Health Professional; work completed by a certified supplier
Key Safe Installation	-	-	❓	-	If assessed by Care Manager as required for safety and access

Clinical & Allied Health Services
Expenditure	Description	Included	Requires Review	Excluded	Comment
Nursing Assessment	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
General Nursing care	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Wound Management	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Catheter Care	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Medication Administration	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Occupational Therapy	Including functional assessment, assessment of home environment, report writing, prescription of aides, coordinating with suppliers	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Physiotherapy	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Dietician / Nutritionist	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Speech Pathologist	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Therapeutic Massage	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Osteopath	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Chiropractor	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Exercise Physiologist	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Podiatrist / Orthotist	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Optometrist	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Audiologist	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Bowen Therapy	-	-	❓	-	If prescribed by GP
Medical Fees	-	-	-	🚫	Specific Exclusion – already Government subsidised
Medical Specialists	-	-	-	🚫	Specific Exclusion – already Government subsidised
Non-accredited health practitioner	-	-	-	🚫	Specific exclusion
Pharmacist	-	-	-	🚫	Specific exclusion
Dentist	-	-	-	🚫	Specific exclusion

Transport
Expenditure	Description	Included	Requires Review	Excluded	Comment
Vehicle Costs	-	-	-	🚫	General Household Expense Item
Car Wash	-	-	-	🚫	General Household Expense Item
Public Transport	-	-	-	🚫	General Household Expense Item
Taxi Card or Cab Charge	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan

Social Activities
Expenditure	Description	Included	Requires Review	Excluded	Comment
Dating Sites	-	-	-	🚫	General Household Expense Item
Hobbies	-	-	-	🚫	General Household Expense Item
Club memberships or subscriptions	-	-	-	🚫	General Household Expense Item
Entertainment costs	-	-	-	🚫	General Household Expense Item

General Household Expenses
Expenditure	Description	Included	Requires Review	Excluded	Comment
Hair Cut	-	-	-	🚫	General Household Expense Item
Groceries	-	-	-	🚫	General Household Expense Item
Takeaway food	-	-	-	🚫	General Household Expense Item
Manicure / Pedicure	-	-	-	🚫	General Household Expense Item
Insurance	-	-	-	🚫	General Household Expense Item
Utility Bills	-	-	-	🚫	General Household Expense Item
Internet	-	-	-	🚫	General Household Expense Item
Pet Care	-	-	-	🚫	General Household Expense Item
Funeral Costs	-	-	-	🚫	General Household Expense Item

Nutritional Supplements
Expenditure	Description	Included	Requires Review	Excluded	Comment
Fortisip, Souvenaid, Ensure Plus, specialist Sustagen products, thickening agents, etc.	-	-	❓	-	Only if recommended by Dietician or Nutritionist and is classified as a food for medical purposes

Pharmaceuticals
Expenditure	Description	Included	Requires Review	Excluded	Comment
Non-PBS pharmaceuticals	Vitamins, Analgesics, anti-inflammatories, etc.	-	-	🚫	Specific Exclusion
PBS Pharmaceuticals	Prescribed medications such as insulin, blood pressure medication, allergy medication, ventolin, continuous BGL monitoring	-	-	🚫	Specific Exclusion

Other
Expenditure	Description	Included	Requires Review	Excluded	Comment
Pre-prepared meals	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Gap payments for medical or healthcare costs	-	-	-	🚫	Already Government Subsidised
Residential Respite Fees	-	-	-	🚫	Already Government Subsidised
Private Aged Care Placement Services	-	-	-	🚫	Specific Exclusion

Medical Aides & Equipment
Expenditure	Description	Included	Requires Review	Excluded	Comment
Wheelchair	-	-	❓	-	Assessed & prescribed by appropriate Health Professional
Walking Stick	-	-	❓	-	Assessed & prescribed by appropriate Health Professional
Wheelie Walker	-	-	❓	-	Assessed & prescribed by appropriate Health Professional
Hi/low electric hospital bed	-	-	❓	-	Assessed & prescribed by appropriate Health Professional
Medical Lift Recliner Chair	-	-	❓	-	Assessed & prescribed by appropriate Health Professional
Shower Chair	-	-	❓	-	Assessed & prescribed by appropriate Health Professional
Commode	-	-	❓	-	Assessed & prescribed by appropriate Health Professional
Non-slip mat	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Over bed table	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Enteral Feeling	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Oxygen Equipment	-	-	❓	-	Identified in the care plan and receiving the oxygen supplement or assessment by the GP that oxygen is required
Pressure relieving cushion	-	-	❓	-	Assessed & prescribed by appropriate Health Professional
Pressure relieving mattress	-	-	❓	-	Assessed & prescribed by appropriate Health Professional
CPAP Machine	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Electric Shaver		✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Medication reminders or dosage devices	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Webster Pack Preparation	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Magnifier	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Skin Integrity Products	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Mobility Scooter	-	-	❓	-	Assessed & prescribed by appropriate Health Professional
Lifting Machine or Hoist	-	-	❓	-	Assessed & prescribed by appropriate Health Professional
Continence Aides	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Catheter Products	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Wound Care Products	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Hearing Aides	-	-	-	🚫	Already Government Subsidised
Glasses	-	-	-	🚫	Already Government Subsidised
Dental Treatments	-	-	-	🚫	Already Government Subsidised
Orthotics	Excludes general footwear	-	❓	-	Assessed & prescribed by appropriate Health Professional

Assistive Technology
Expenditure	Description	Included	Requires Review	Excluded	Comment
iPad / Tablet	-	-	❓	-	Requires Care Manager Approval and caps apply
Assistance with IT setup	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Large Button Phone	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Loop System	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Speech output software	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Remote monitoring or telehealth devices	-	✅	-	-	Identified in Care Plan
Smartphones / Smartwatches	Not including remote monitoring or telehealth devices	-	-	🚫	General Household Expense Item

General Household Items
Expenditure	Description	Included	Requires Review	Excluded	Comment
Assistive devices	Modified cutlery, lever handles, tipper kettle, vacuum, swivel seat, long reach handle, raised toilet seat, detachable bidet	-	❓	-	Assessed & prescribed by appropriate Health Professional
Bidet	-	-	-	🚫	General Household Expense Item
Microwave	-	-	❓	-	Only in special circumstances e.g. where gas or cooktop cooking is unavailable
Medication Fridge	-	-	❓	-	For medication storage only
Household Furniture	-	-	-	🚫	General Household Expense Item
Fridge	-	-	-	🚫	General Household Expense Item
Oven	-	-	-	🚫	General Household Expense Item
Stove	-	-	-	🚫	General Household Expense Item
Lawnmower	-	-	-	🚫	General Household Expense Item
Home Security systems	-	-	-	🚫	General Household Expense Item
Washing Machine	-	-	-	🚫	General Household Expense Item
Non-hospital bed	-	-	-	🚫	General Household Expense Item
Bed linen	-	-	-	🚫	General Household Expense Item
Dryer	-	-	-	🚫	Exceptions may apply for clients who do additional laundering due to incontinence. Requires assessment and recommendation by Continence Nurse

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