Wrong classification or needs changed? Reviews and reassessment
Last updated 20 August 2026
The short version
- You have three different tools, for three different problems: a priority review (you're waiting too long and things have worsened), a reassessment (your needs have grown beyond your classification), and a formal review of a decision (you think the assessment got it wrong).
- Reassessment is free and requested through My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.
- If you transitioned from a Home Care Package, "upgrade only" protection means reassessment can raise your funding but can't drop it below your HCP-equivalent level.
- Evidence wins reviews: GP letters, hospital discharge summaries, and a record of what's changed.
Three tools — pick the one that matches your problem
- Priority review — "I'm in the queue and can't safely wait this long." Your classification is fine; the wait isn't, because things have deteriorated since your assessment. Ask My Aged Care to review your priority category. Moving from medium to high priority can shorten the wait from 8–11 months to a few months. Covered in detail in our waitlist guide.
- Reassessment — "My needs have genuinely grown." A new diagnosis, a fall, a hospital stay, a carer who can no longer help — and your current classification no longer covers what you need. A reassessment is a fresh look under the Single Assessment System, usually with another home visit, and can move you to a higher of the eight classifications. It's free, and you request it through My Aged Care.
- Formal review of a decision — "The assessment got it wrong." If your Notice of Decision doesn't reflect the needs you actually presented — the assessor caught you on a good day, or key information wasn't considered — you can ask for the decision itself to be reviewed rather than waiting for your needs to grow into it. Your Notice of Decision explains how to request this and any time limits that apply; act promptly and put your reasons and evidence in writing.
A rule of thumb: if the problem is the wait, ask for a priority review. If the problem is that things have changed since the assessment, ask for a reassessment. If the problem is that the assessment was wrong on the day, ask for a review of the decision. You can explain your situation to My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and they'll route it — or ask OPAN's free advocates on 1800 700 600 to help you frame it.
If you came from a Home Care Package: upgrade-only protection
People transitioned from a Home Care Package on 1 November 2025 kept an HCP-equivalent budget — and some worry that asking for a reassessment risks losing it. It doesn't work that way. Transitioned HCP clients have "upgrade only" protection: a reassessment can move you to a higher classification on the new scale, but your funding can't drop below your HCP-equivalent level.
One genuine caution sits alongside that: if your old package included the dementia and cognition supplement, that supplement is not re-granted after reassessment. If it forms part of your current budget, weigh that before requesting reassessment — for some people the new classification more than covers it, but it's worth doing the arithmetic first. Our HCP comparison guide and grandfathering guide cover the transition rules in full.
Weighing up whether to ask for reassessment?
Tell us your situation — current classification, what's changed, whether you transitioned from an HCP — and we'll help you think it through. Free, no obligation.
Evidence: what actually persuades
Every one of these processes runs on evidence. The strongest file is specific, dated and medical:
- A GP letter summarising diagnoses, deterioration and why more support is needed — ask your GP to be concrete ("can no longer shower safely without assistance") rather than general ("requires more care").
- Hospital discharge summaries — keep every one; a recent admission is among the most persuasive documents there is.
- Specialist and allied health reports — a physio or OT describing falls risk or declining function carries real weight.
- A dated diary of incidents — falls, near-misses, skipped meals, nights that went wrong, and days your carer couldn't come.
- Carer statements — a short written account from the family member holding things together, including what happens when they can't.
At the reassessment visit itself, the same advice applies as the first time around: describe your worst days, have family present, and don't put on a brave face. Our assessment guide has the full preparation checklist.
Common questions
Does reassessment cost anything?
No. Reassessment is free, arranged through My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.
Could a reassessment reduce my funding?
If you transitioned from a Home Care Package, no — upgrade-only protection means your funding can't fall below your HCP-equivalent level (though a dementia/cognition supplement isn't re-granted). If you entered directly under Support at Home, a reassessment is a genuine fresh look at your needs — so request one when your needs have grown, and bring evidence.
Will asking for a review annoy anyone or count against me?
No. Reviews and reassessments are ordinary, legitimate parts of the system — they exist because needs change and assessments aren't perfect. Nobody's care is downgraded out of spite, and free advocates at OPAN (1800 700 600) can support you through any of it.
Do I lose my place in the queue if I'm reassessed?
Your existing approval doesn't expire, and requesting reassessment for a higher classification doesn't mean giving up your current approval. If you're already receiving services, they continue while the reassessment happens.
I'm already funded but my classification feels too low. Same process?
Yes — reassessment isn't only for people in the queue. If your budget consistently runs out well before quarter's end because your needs have grown, gather your evidence and request a reassessment. Your monthly statements are useful supporting material; see statements and budgets.
Granted a higher classification?
A bigger budget is a good moment to check your provider still suits you — prices, availability and care management all worth a fresh look.
Sources
- My Aged Care, myagedcare.gov.au — requesting a reassessment and changing support needs, accessed 20 August 2026.
- Support at Home Program Manual — reassessment, priority categories and transition arrangements for former HCP recipients.
- Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, health.gov.au — Support at Home transition and "no worse off" arrangements, accessed 20 August 2026.
- Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN), 1800 700 600 — free aged care advocacy.