Can a Daily Check-In Call Be Funded by a Home Care Package?
Yes — in most cases, daily wellness check-in calls can be funded from a Home Care Package. But you need to know which budget category to use, what language to use with your care manager, and how the new Support at Home program changes things.
This guide explains exactly how to unlock your HCP funding for this purpose — so the service costs you little or nothing out of pocket.
Home Care Package Funding Levels
Annual government subsidy (2025–26 rates, approximate)
Source: My Aged Care, Department of Health & Aged Care 2025–26. Rates are government subsidy before income-tested care fees.
What Budget Category Covers Daily Check-In Calls?
Home Care Package funds are flexible — they can be used for any service that helps an older person live safely and independently at home, provided it falls within approved categories. Daily wellness calls typically sit under one or more of these categories:
Social Support & Participation
This is the most direct fit. Daily calls that provide conversation, companionship, and social engagement fall squarely into this category. It’s available under all four HCP levels. Ask your care manager to code the service as “social support — telephone-based.”
Monitoring & Safety Technology
Where calls include automated wellness monitoring, emergency keyword detection, and family reporting, many providers classify this under assistive technology and monitoring. Under Support at Home, this now has specific funding via the Assistive Technology & Home Modifications (AT-HM) pathway.
Allied Health Support
If the check-in service includes structured health monitoring (mood, sleep, nutrition, medication prompts), some care managers will code it under allied health support coordination. Less common, but legitimate for services with a strong health-tracking component.
The New Support at Home Program (November 2025)
The Australian Government launched the new Support at Home program in November 2025, replacing the previous Home Care Package system for new entrants. Existing HCP recipients transitioned progressively.
Under Support at Home, there are eight support categories. Daily wellness calls most clearly fall under “Connected Living” (social participation and connection) and “Home Safety” (monitoring and assistive technology). The Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) scheme provides up to $15,000 per year for technology that supports independence — which can include monitoring and check-in services.
Contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 for current Support at Home eligibility and category guidance.
What to Say to Your Care Manager
Care managers have discretion in how they code services. Using the right language helps. Here are exact phrases that align with HCP guidelines:
— Suggested phrases for your care plan conversation —
“I’d like to include a daily telephone-based social support service in the care plan.”
“We’re looking at a technology-assisted wellness monitoring service to support safe independent living.”
“The service includes daily contact, mood tracking, health monitoring, and emergency detection — can we code this under social participation and monitoring technology?”
“We’d like to use some of the care budget for a check-in call service that also reports to family members.”
If your current provider is reluctant, you have the right to self-manage your HCP or use a different provider for individual services. My Aged Care can explain your options.
Self-Managed vs Provider-Managed HCP
| Factor | Provider-Managed | Self-Managed |
|---|---|---|
| Flexibility to choose services | Limited to provider’s approved list | Full flexibility — any approved service type |
| Administration | Provider handles all | You manage invoices and claims |
| Management fee | 15–35% of budget (varies) | Reduced or none on self-managed portion |
| Suitable for check-in calls? | Depends on provider | Yes — you choose directly |
| Support needed | Minimal | Moderate — keep records |
Getting Started While You Arrange Funding
HCP funding arrangements take time to formalise. Kindly Call’s 7-day free trial — no credit card required — means you can start immediately while you sort out the funding conversation with your care manager.
At $39/month for daily calls, a Kindly Call Daily plan represents a tiny fraction of even a Level 1 HCP budget (~$860/month). For most package holders, the monthly cost is less than one management fee deduction.
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