Managing Your Care: The 2026 Blueprint

Intro

I’m Colin, a Mallacoota resident managing my mother’s care. In late 2025, the system shifted to the new Support at Home program. This change introduced clearer pricing with 8 classification levels, but professional oversight remains critical. Whether you have a Level 1 or a Level 8 budget, the goal is the same: stay in your home and make every dollar count.

Warning: Securing funding can still take 12 months or more. If your situation is urgent, contact mallacootacares.com.au—they specialize in navigating local support and fast-tracking the process.

Step 1: Get Your Classification

The 1–8 Levels: My Aged Care now assigns you one of 8 levels of support. This allows for much finer adjustments as your needs change—from basic help (Level 1) up to complex nursing (Level 8).
Where to Start: Apply at myagedcare.gov.au or call 1800 200 422. If you already have a plan but your needs have increased, ask for a "reassessment" to move up the 1–8 ladder.

Step 2: Choose Your Provider

There are hundreds of providers to choose from at myagedcare.gov.au/find-a-provider. Under the new rules, the standard Care Management Fee is 10% across the board, making it easier to compare your options.

Self-Managed with Trilogy (10% Fee): You take the lead and choose your own workers. Contact them at 1300 459 190 or trilogycare.com.au.
Full-Service or Managed Support: You can search the My Aged Care database for hundreds of other providers who also charge the 10% management fee but may offer different levels of administrative support.

Step 3: Find Your Workers

The Mable Model: Use mable.com.au to find specialists. They handle the basic checks for a small platform fee.
Direct Business Owners: Hire local Mallacoota independents directly and have them invoice your provider.
Coming Soon: Our local worker directory will make it easy to find help without searching through national agency lists.

Why Independent Workers are Worth $66 Per Hour

It’s a common question: "Why pay $66 when an agency employee gets $35?" It is important to compare the total costs fairly.

The Reality of Agency Costs:To be fair, a large provider paying an employee $35/hr actually incurs a cost of roughly $50/hr once you factor in WorkCover, payroll tax, and administrative overheads. However, the agency then marks that rate up—often billing your plan $99+ per hour to cover their corporate headquarters and profit margins.

The Independent Business Owner:An independent worker charging $66/hr is a small business owner. That rate covers:

Professional Overheads: Accounting, tax, and invoicing software.
Insurances: Public Liability and Professional Indemnity.
Self-Funded Safety Net: They have no paid sick leave or holiday pay, and they pay their own 11.5% Superannuation.