23/04/2026
The new Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT) algorithm used to determine aged care support for older Australians continues to receive pushback from users.
Since its introduction, there has been a sharp increase in people requesting reassessments, with concerns that some individuals may not be receiving the level of care they truly need.
Assessors are barred from overriding the algorithm, even if they believe its decision is wrong. Initially, assessors were told they would be able to access this feature and implement it if they believed the IAT outcome was wrong.
New Department of Health figures show that 800 older Australians have requested reviews of their assessments since the algorithm's introduction on November 1 last year. Before the change, there were 178 review requests in the past financial year.
There are also more than 100,000 people are waiting for an assessment to receive funding on the aged care Support at Home program.
To read the full story, click here > https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-24/aged-care-algorithm-for-home-care-under-fire/106475138
As the aged care landscape continues to change, one thing remains constant - care should always be individual, not one-size-fits-all.
A new algorithm for deciding how much aged care support people can receive to stay living at home is being blamed for reducing care to older Australians.