00:01So, we know that this new scheme is coming into place full on from November 1 this year.
00:09We've seen providers charging for things like TV, Wi-Fi, a phone in your room, a TV
00:15in your room, which previously was mainly included for most people.
00:20We're also seeing charges for things like a cooked breakfast, mail delivered to your
00:27room, people's activities in terms of music or art therapy, soft drinks, even happy hour.
00:39So this is from one particular home with Uniting that we've seen some of those charges.
00:45But there's 700 aged care providers in Australia.
00:50And it's not clear how many of those will be charging these higher fees.
00:54But in the top 10 that I contacted, at least 50 per cent got back to say that they would
01:00be.
01:00So do we know, will this eventually be at every aged care home?
01:05So it's going to be coming...
01:06This has been able to be in place since November 1 last year.
01:10Some have rolled it out in a trial system, which is when it emerged that TV services were
01:17going to be charged for when previously they'd been free.
01:20That's when the minister said that he believed that access to a television was a human right.
01:28What's happened is some of those providers were charging residents who'd been in care
01:32before November 1 last year, when they shouldn't have been, they were grandfathered.
01:37However, everybody else entering care after that date and all new residents going forward,
01:42could face these fees if the provider chooses to charge them.
01:46It's unclear how many will do that at this point.
01:50But what they're saying is they have to replace this fee with another fee which has been discontinued
01:58with the federal government because they said that wasn't fair.
02:00However, as you've mentioned, the difference is that TVs, for example, and phones and Wi-Fi,
02:07which previously were free for everyone, it now appears some providers will actually be charging
02:13people in order to have those.
02:14And so, I mean, with those changes, do we know overall how much it's going to cost people?
02:20So, with the story that we've done today, that's a Uniting home and their particular package,
02:27if you bundled it all up, it's an extra $16,000 a year.
02:31The Uniting has said that they are reviewing their plans and their packages from now on.
02:36We saw Opal, for example, did a trial where they were charging an extra $55 a day, which
02:43would be working out at about an extra $20,000 per year.
02:47But it's unclear how much it will, I mean, some of the TVs, for example, were going to cost
02:54$3,000 a year.
02:56To have a cooked breakfast every day was going to cost $5,500.
03:00So, these are additional extras.
03:02They're voluntary.
03:03But the point that others are saying is, well, some people are going to miss out if, you know,
03:09you charge people for basics.
03:11And why is this happening?
03:13So, previously, the government did have in place a particular scheme called additionals
03:19and extras.
03:20People who paid those particular bundles were in a different section of the aged care home.
03:26They would have things like wine at dinner, a newspaper delivered to them, and perhaps
03:31a choice of meals.
03:32It was found that that was unfair because there were some people who were paying that fee but
03:37couldn't access them.
03:38And, in fact, there's a class action against our care at the moment on that particular issue.
03:42So, that's been discontinued from the 31st of October this year.
03:47And it means that providers are saying, we need to replace that revenue that we're going
03:51to lose by charging people who want these services.
03:55And that's what the higher everyday living fees are all about.
03:59And what have families and advocates had to say about these changes?
04:04Well, families are very concerned and advocates that this is creating a two-tiered system, that
04:10there's going to be people who can afford to pay for them, who can afford to have a TV in
04:15their
04:15room and have access to that, who can afford to go to a music concert or some other activity
04:21in the home, and others who will be refused access to them.
04:25They say it's really isolating, that it's already really difficult for people living in aged care,
04:31care, and in particular, a TV for somebody who perhaps can't get out of their room and
04:36who is in their room most of the day.
04:39They need a TV to be connected with the world and just have some entertainment.
04:44What advocates are saying, and in particular the older person's advocacy network, is saying
04:50that the government should change the rules so that TV, Wi-Fi and phones should all be
04:57included as an automatic and that providers not charge for it.
05:01Well, that's it.
