UP TO 9,000 new applications are expected to be made to the new “Fair Deal” scheme for support with nursing home costs each year, the Department of Health has said.
All new entrants to nursing homes – public or private – who want support from the scheme will have to undergo a care needs assessment and a financial assessment.
However, existing residents of nursing homes will not have to undergo a care needs assessment.
The scheme is irrelevant to people already in public nursing homes but up to 13,000 people in private nursing homes who are paying or contributing towards the cost of their care, or whose families are paying for their care, are expected to apply for assistance under the scheme. So there will be a glut of initial applications lodged.
The new scheme replaces the system of nursing home subventions which has been in place since 1993. However, those who wish to retain their current subvention arrangements and not opt for the new scheme may do so.
Application forms are available from the HSE for the scheme, which begins on October 27th.
The scheme allows applicants to defer the cost of their care until after their death, when up to 15 per cent of the value of their home will be collected to pay for the cost of their care.
Normally the charge on the property would be collected within 12 months of death by the Revenue Commissioners but this could be deferred if a spouse, partner or children are still living there.
In addition, if a member of a couple is being financially assessed for support under the scheme, the assessment will be based on half of the couple’s combined income and assets.
For the purposes of the scheme, the term couple includes married, same-sex and heterosexual couples who have been cohabiting as life partners for at least three years.
Meanwhile, for those incapacitated and unable to apply for the scheme themselves, members of their family can apply to be their care representative by making an application to the Circuit Court and then applying to be part of Fair Deal on their behalf.
Two doctors’ reports will be required by the court as evidence that the person is of diminished mental capacity.
People will have to pay the costs of the court application themselves but the Department of Health said yesterday there was no need to obtain legal representation to make the application to be a care representative.
Up to 2,500 such applications are expected to be made to the Circuit Court.
There is an appeals process for anyone refused funding under Fair Deal or refused admission to the scheme on the basis of their care needs assessment.
The National Treatment Purchase Fund, which was given the job of reaching agreement with nursing homes on the cost of care under Fair Deal, has reached deals with 426 of the 433 private nursing homes that applied for the scheme. The list of these homes and the agreed costs will be published shortly.
Some €909 million was allocated to the HSE this year to cover the cost of long-term residential care. This included €55 million specifically earmarked for the introduction of Fair Deal.
Minister for Health Mary Harney said yesterday the new system of financial support for nursing home care was “fair, equitable, transparent and progressive”.
She anticipated support for older people in care would cost the Government more than €1 billion next year. “The State will carry the bulk of the cost of care at 70 per cent,” she said.
Asked about concerns that the prices for care agreed with the NTPF did not cover therapies or incontinence wear, Ms Harney said these were already provided “as best we can”.
Some of the items are already covered for medical card holders.