Key facts
- The aged care algorithm is used to determine eligibility, funding, and priority for home care.
- The Commonwealth Ombudsman found the system does not deliver "fair and consistent" outcomes.
- The algorithm was implemented without meaningful risk assessment, evaluation, or analysis.
- Hundreds of people have appealed the algorithm's decisions, a five-fold increase from the previous year.
- The ombudsman recommended legislative changes to allow human override of algorithmic decisions.
- The government has accepted a review of the Aged Care Act in relation to the assessment process and algorithm.
Calls to scrap Australia's aged care algorithm have been renewed following a Commonwealth Ombudsman report that found the system does not deliver fair and consistent outcomes. The algorithm, used to determine funding for home care, has been criticized for its lack of transparency and the inability of human assessors to override its decisions. Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care Anne Ruston stated the algorithm can make "life and death decisions" about care needs. The Ombudsman's report highlighted that the algorithm was implemented without meaningful risk assessment and has led to a significant increase in appeals.