CHSP Provider Hub

We continue to receive questions about supporting unassessed clients. At a meeting recently held with the Department of Health, Disability and Aged Care, Sector Support and Development Providers were provided with the following information.

Question: Unassessed clients – with the 1 November 2025 changes, providers are reporting there are still thousands of clients that remain unassessed, providers are facing very long wait times for assessments to occur, is MAC registration and a referral code sufficient to deliver CHSP services to a client, or does the client require the full assessment before services can continue post 1 November 2025?

Answer: It is a requirement for CHSP clients to be registered and assessed to access funded aged care services under the Aged Care Act 2024, which comes into effect on 1 November 2025. Providers should be supporting all unassessed clients to apply for an assessment as soon as possible.

Clients registered with My Aged Care who have not yet been assessed may qualify for a backdated approval to 1 November 2025, once an assessment has been completed. This is subject to the following conditions:

• The client must have applied for an assessment prior to 1 November 2025
• The client must be waiting for an assessment on, or after 1 November 2025
• The client must be approved to access CHSP services when they’re assessed.

If a client is found to be ineligible for CHSP services and the client wishes to continue receiving services, they would need to commence a full fee-for-service arrangement with a provider.

From 1 November, providers cannot continue to deliver services to someone with a MAC ID and referral code if they have not been assessed and have not applied for an assessment before 1 November 2025.

Regardless of transition arrangements, when a client applies to be assessed, they may be found eligible for urgent service referrals. In this case, CHSP services can be provided to the client using new urgent service referral codes provided by the My Aged Care Contact Centre or Assessment Organisation, prior to them undergoing an aged care needs assessment. Clients that receive urgent services must undergo an aged care needs assessment, even if the need for the services provided has ceased.

If you have any further questions about unassessed clients, please forward your questions to the CHSP team via CHSPprogram@health.gov.au.

We are also aware the following documents that have recently been released:

• CHSP data collection spreadsheet – Exceptional circumstances pathway: For use when you have a client who cannot be assessed due to exceptional circumstances, and they have consented to share their information with the department, you can submit an application on their behalf using this form.

• Unassessed CHSP clients with exceptional circumstances: This fact sheet includes information on how Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) providers can help their current unassisted clients apply for consideration under the exceptional circumstances pathway, if they cannot be assessed due to their circumstances.

• Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) aged care clients information collection notice: With your client’s consent, you may apply on their behalf under the exceptional circumstances pathway. This notice explains how to confirm your CHSP client agrees to share their personal information with the department for this purpose.