New Financial Assessment Process for Home Support in Effect

People throughout the province availing of home support have more money in their pockets due to the implementation of a new financial assessment process. In Budget 2009, the Provincial Government committed $7.5 million to restructure the home support financial assessment process for eligible recipients throughout the province. The newly restructured process took effect on December 1, 2009.

�I am pleased individuals throughout Newfoundland and Labrador currently receiving home support services are now benefiting from this new process,� said the Honourable Jerome Kennedy, Minister of Health and Community Services. �The improvements to the assessment process will ease financial burden for individuals. Of the 937 clients who have been reassessed and will see a decrease in their contribution amount, the average decrease is $291 per month.�

On December 1, 2009, the new income-based process was implemented. All clients currently in receipt of home support only, as well as those receiving home support and special assistance combined, have been reassessed using the new financial assessment process and have been notified of their new client contribution. Subsidized home support services include personal care, home management and respite. These services are provided by home support workers who are employed by either the individual or a home support agency. The Special Assistance Program provides basic supportive health products such as oxygen, medical supplies and equipment to individuals living in the community who have chronic health conditions and meet program criteria.

The new assessment is based on family income as reported to the Canadian Revenue Agency. Clients with income at or below $13,000 per year for a single person and $21,000 per year for a couple will not be required to contribute to home support. Income above that amount will be assessed using a formula that will see those with lower incomes pay less. Families with income greater than $150,000 will not be eligible for a home support subsidy.

The following chart contains examples of the client contribution calculation:

�Our government feels strongly about providing a comprehensive approach in addressing the financial, health and social needs in the long-term care and community support services system throughout Newfoundland and Labrador,� said Minister Kennedy.

In Budget 2009, the Provincial Government earmarked $35 million to improve services and enhance supports across the province with the goal of a revitalized and strengthened long-term care and community supports services system. This investment included, among other things, $16.5 million to increase home support hourly subsidy rates, $8 million to address home support program growth, $1.5 million to increase the personal care home subsidy, $1.1 million to begin implementation of a new assessment tool (interRAI Home Care assessment instrument), which assists in determining the most appropriate location and amount of care to be provided, as well as the $7.5 million to restructure the home support financial assessment process.

- 30 -

Media contact:
Tansy Mundon
Director of Communications
Department of Health and Community Services
709-729-1377, 685-2646
tansymundon@gov.nl.ca 

2009 12 09                                                    2:45 p.m.