Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

Under the new means-testing arrangements there are some important protections in relation to the means tested care fee. For the home-care situation, for people who are self-funded retirees there will be a $10,000 cap. For people who are part pensioners there will be a $5,000 cap per year. For people in residential care there will be a $25,000 annual cap, but there will also be for both home care and residential care a $60,000 lifetime cap. That includes any contribution that someone has made in home care. If they then move into residential care, that will be a combined lifetime cap. So there is a $60,000 annual cap. That is an important protection for consumers. But there will also be particular hardship protections which are at the discretion of the Secretary of the Department of Human Services.