IPA Update | Urgent Notice re ITF & Software Changes for Data Upload

Urgent Notice to Senior Management in Home Care:

e-Tools Software is currently finalising its Home Care modifications to meet the Department’s new Improved Payment Arrangements [IPA], due to commence on 1 September 2021. The first claim under the new arrangements does not occur until October 2021.

e-Tools’ solution is to modify its e-REC [e-Tools Reconciliation] application to provide the update of data in the new IPA format plus continue to provide its previous reconciliation function.

We have analysed the Department’s requirements and used in conjunction with eHCP [e-Tools Home Care Package], the upcoming changes to e-REC will provide the ability to:

• analyse and report the breakup of unspent funds between the Department and the Consumer
• cater for providers that choose to opt in or not [e-Tools is recommending not opting in]
• report opting in or not by consumer
• provide an End of Month [EOM] closing procedure to secure data
• report to the Department goods and services delivered in the prior month, for claiming purposes
• upload data to the Department electronically once the Department portal is available
• offer the opportunity for an adjustment to add variations to prior claiming periods
• provide reports on the services claimed, including a projected claim for validation purposes
• reconciliation between the Department’s payment summary and the projected claim

What You Need To Do To Ensure You Protect Your Business & Prepare:

• Review each consumer’s care plan
• Ensure daily budgets are correct
• Ensure current unspent funds are correct
• Update your hourly charge out rates [this should be done at least annually]
• Review care and package management charges
• Review 3rd party contract arrangements, Contracts, fees etc.
• Ensure all services delivered have been completed and are claimable

Special Note on the ITF:

If you have not been charging the full Income Tested Fee [ITF] or do not have the ITF adjustment function activated, please contact us to discuss what needs to be done to check that you do not report incorrect data to the Department.

e-REC Required To Meet Future Funding Changes:

If you do not already have e-REC, it will be necessary to add e-REC to your current e-Tools suite of applications to meet the upcoming changes to the funding arrangements.

Please contact us for further details on e-REC or find out more here.