Overview
The Federal Government has registered the Aged Care Amendment (July and August Indexation and Other Measures) Rules 2026. The rules amend the Aged Care Rules 2025 across several areas, including indexation of fees and funding rates, assessment processes, personal care, and fees for transitional cohorts. The rules are made under the Aged Care Act 2024 and administered by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.
What the rules cover
The amendments address the following subject areas:
- Indexation of fees and funding rates
- Assessment processes
- Personal care
- Fees for transitional cohorts
The source document does not specify the dollar amounts for any indexed rates, nor the detailed content of changes within each schedule.
Staged commencement dates
The amendments commence in stages across multiple schedules:
- 29 June 2026 - assessment-related amendments commence
- 1 July 2026 - indexation and other measures commence
- 1 August 2026 - further indexation commences
- 1 October 2026 - personal care changes commence
- 1 November 2025 - transitional cohort fee changes, which are backdated to this date
Key actions
- Registered aged care services can check the full rules at https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2026L00862 to identify which schedule affects their funding, fee, or assessment processes.
- The 29 June 2026 start date applies to assessment changes and the 1 July 2026 start date applies to indexation - billing and fee schedules are required to reflect those dates accordingly.
- Schedule 5 contains fee changes for transitional cohorts that are backdated to 1 November 2025 - past billing for that resident group may require review.
- Schedule 4 personal care changes commence 1 October 2026 - the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing is the source for further guidance on those changes.
This is a plain-English summary for information only, not legal or compliance advice. Always check the official source or consult a qualified professional.