Key points

  • Supplements are extra funding on top of your regular quarterly Support at Home budget
  • They cover specific high-cost clinical needs like oxygen therapy and enteral feeding
  • Supplement funding does not reduce or come from your core budget allocation
  • DVA-related supplements help coordinate support for veterans across both systems
  • You need clinical documentation to access supplements
  • Your provider can submit supplement requests on your behalf through the My Aged Care system

What are Support at Home supplements?

The Support at Home program gives you a quarterly budget based on your classification level (1 through 8). That budget covers a broad range of services across three categories: Clinical Care, Independence, and Everyday Living.

But some people have clinical needs that are unusually expensive to manage at home. If you need home oxygen therapy or enteral feeding, for example, the cost of equipment, consumables, and clinical monitoring can quickly eat through a standard quarterly budget, leaving nothing for the other services you also need.

This is where supplements come in.

A supplement is an additional funding allocation assigned on top of your regular quarterly budget. It is earmarked for a specific clinical need and exists completely outside your core funding. Think of it as a separate funding stream that runs alongside your main budget.

The key point is this: supplements do not reduce your quarterly budget. If you are classified at level 5 and receive an oxygen therapy supplement, you still have your full level 5 budget for everything else. The supplement is additional money.

How supplements differ from your quarterly budget

Understanding the distinction between your core budget and supplements is important because it affects how you plan your spending and how your provider invoices for services.

Your quarterly budget

Your quarterly budget is a fixed dollar amount determined by your classification level. You can spend it across the three service categories (Clinical Care, Independence, and Everyday Living) according to the percentage splits set out for your level. If you do not use all of your quarterly budget, unspent funds may carry over according to the program rules.

Supplements

Supplements are:

  • Separate from your quarterly budget. They do not count toward your quarterly spending limits.
  • Clinically specific. Each supplement is tied to a particular clinical need and can only be used for costs related to that need.
  • Assessed individually. You do not automatically receive a supplement just because you have a certain classification level. Each supplement requires its own clinical justification.
  • Reviewed periodically. Supplements can be reviewed if your clinical situation changes. If you no longer need home oxygen, for example, the supplement can be discontinued.

Oxygen therapy supplement

Home oxygen therapy is one of the most common reasons a Support at Home participant needs a supplement. If you have a chronic respiratory condition such as COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, or another condition requiring long-term oxygen therapy, managing this at home involves ongoing costs.

What the oxygen therapy supplement covers

The supplement is designed to cover the costs specifically associated with providing oxygen therapy in your home:

  • Oxygen concentrator rental or purchase. These machines filter ambient air to deliver concentrated oxygen. Rental is more common because concentrators need regular servicing and eventual replacement.
  • Portable oxygen equipment. If you need oxygen when you leave the house, portable concentrators or cylinder-based systems may be covered.
  • Consumables. Nasal cannulas, masks, tubing, filters, and other disposable items that need regular replacement.
  • Servicing and maintenance. Regular maintenance of concentrators and other equipment, including filter changes and performance checks.
  • Clinical monitoring. Nursing visits related to monitoring your oxygen therapy, including oximetry readings and clinical reviews of your oxygen prescription.
  • Electricity costs. Oxygen concentrators run continuously and can add significantly to your power bill. The supplement may include a contribution toward the increased electricity costs.

Who is eligible

To receive the oxygen therapy supplement, you need:

  1. A current prescription for home oxygen therapy from a respiratory physician or other qualified specialist
  2. Clinical documentation confirming that you require oxygen therapy on an ongoing basis (not just during acute illness)
  3. An assessment or reassessment under the Support at Home program that identifies the need

Your GP can refer you to a respiratory specialist if you do not already have one. The specialist’s report is the primary piece of evidence used to justify the supplement.

How it works in practice

Once approved, the supplement is added to your Support at Home account. Your provider arranges the oxygen equipment and consumables, and the costs are invoiced against the supplement rather than your core budget.

You should see the supplement listed separately in your budget statements. If it is not clearly separated, ask your provider for a breakdown. This is important because you want to confirm that your regular budget is not being drawn down for oxygen-related costs.

Enteral feeding supplement

Enteral feeding (tube feeding) is another clinical need that carries significant ongoing costs. If you or a family member requires enteral nutrition, the associated expenses for formula, equipment, and clinical support can be substantial.

What enteral feeding involves

Enteral feeding delivers nutrition directly to the stomach or small intestine through a tube. Common types include:

  • PEG (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy) feeding. A tube inserted through the abdominal wall into the stomach. This is the most common long-term feeding method.
  • Nasogastric (NG) tube feeding. A tube passed through the nose into the stomach. More commonly used for short-term feeding.
  • Jejunostomy feeding. A tube inserted directly into the small intestine. Used when stomach feeding is not appropriate.

What the enteral feeding supplement covers

  • Enteral formula. Nutritional formulas prescribed by a dietitian. These are specialised products and can cost hundreds of dollars per month.
  • Feeding pumps and equipment. Electric feeding pumps, gravity feeding sets, syringes, and other equipment needed to deliver nutrition.
  • Consumables. Giving sets, extension tubes, connectors, tape, and dressings around the tube site.
  • Clinical support. Nursing visits for tube care, site assessment, and troubleshooting. Dietitian reviews to monitor nutritional adequacy and adjust formula as needed.
  • Replacement tubes and supplies. PEG tubes and other feeding tubes need periodic replacement, which involves both the tube itself and the clinical procedure to replace it.

Who is eligible

Eligibility requires:

  1. A clinical assessment confirming that enteral feeding is medically necessary. This typically comes from a gastroenterologist, speech pathologist (if swallowing difficulties are the reason), or dietitian.
  2. Documentation that enteral feeding is expected to be ongoing, not just a short-term measure during recovery from acute illness.
  3. An assessment or reassessment that identifies the need for the supplement.

Managing enteral feeding at home

Enteral feeding at home requires careful coordination. Your provider will need to arrange regular deliveries of formula and consumables, schedule nursing visits for tube care and monitoring, and ensure you have access to a dietitian who can review your nutritional plan.

If you are new to enteral feeding, your provider should also connect you with training so that you or your carer can manage day-to-day feeding confidently. This training is typically provided by a registered nurse and should be covered under your clinical care allocation or the supplement itself.

Veterans who receive support from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) and are also eligible for the Support at Home program sit across two funding systems. DVA-related supplements exist to make sure this dual eligibility does not create gaps or duplication.

How DVA and Support at Home interact

DVA provides its own home care services for eligible veterans, including nursing, personal care, domestic assistance, and allied health. These overlap with the everyday needs families raise most often, with personal care, domestic assistance and transport among the most-requested services through Carevo. When a veteran also qualifies for the Support at Home program, the two systems need to coordinate so that:

  • The veteran receives all the support they are entitled to
  • Services are not duplicated (you should not be receiving the same service from both DVA and Support at Home)
  • The veteran is not worse off for having dual eligibility

What DVA supplements cover

DVA-related supplements may cover:

  • Gap services. Support needs that fall outside what DVA funds but are covered under the Support at Home program.
  • Coordination costs. The administrative effort involved in coordinating care across two systems.
  • Service-related clinical needs. Clinical needs arising from conditions related to military service that require support beyond what DVA provides in the home care context.

Important considerations for veterans

If you are a veteran receiving DVA support:

  • Tell your assessor. During your Support at Home assessment, make sure the assessor knows you are a DVA client. This affects how your needs are assessed and what supplements may be available.
  • Avoid duplication. Work with both your DVA and Support at Home providers to make sure you are not paying for (or missing) services across the two systems.
  • Check your entitlements. DVA entitlements can be complex. If you are unsure what DVA covers and what needs to come from Support at Home, contact DVA directly on 1800 555 254 or speak to an ex-service organisation (ESO) advocate.

How to access supplements

Supplements are not something you apply for separately in most cases. Here is how the process typically works.

During your initial assessment

When you are assessed for the Support at Home program, the assessor reviews your full clinical picture. If they identify a need for oxygen therapy, enteral feeding, or another supplement-eligible condition, they will flag it during the assessment. The supplement is then included when your funding is assigned.

If a need arises after your initial assessment

If you develop a need for a supplement after you have already been assessed and are receiving Support at Home funding, the process is:

  1. Talk to your provider. Let them know about your new clinical need. They can help you gather the right documentation.
  2. Get clinical evidence. You will need a report or letter from your treating specialist (respiratory physician, gastroenterologist, dietitian, or other relevant clinician) confirming the need.
  3. Request a reassessment. Your provider can submit a request through the My Aged Care system for a reassessment or variation to your funding, including the addition of a supplement.
  4. Wait for the outcome. The reassessment process can take several weeks. In urgent cases, ask your provider to flag the request as high priority.

What if your supplement request is denied?

If your supplement request is not approved, you have options:

  • Ask for the reasons in writing. Understanding why the request was denied helps you address the specific issues.
  • Provide additional evidence. A more detailed clinical report or a second specialist opinion can strengthen your case.
  • Request a review. You can request a formal review of the decision through My Aged Care.
  • Contact an advocate. The Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) on 1800 700 600 can help you navigate the review process.

Common questions about supplement eligibility

Do I need to be at a certain classification level?

No. Supplements are not tied to your classification level. A participant at level 2 can receive an oxygen therapy supplement just as a participant at level 7 can. The deciding factor is clinical need, not funding level. Your classification level determines your quarterly budget, while supplements are assessed entirely on the basis of your clinical requirements.

Can my GP initiate a supplement request?

Your GP can provide supporting clinical documentation, but the formal supplement request typically goes through your Support at Home provider or the assessment process. If your GP identifies a new clinical need that warrants a supplement, the practical steps are: get the clinical documentation from your GP or specialist, give it to your provider, and ask them to submit the request through the My Aged Care system.

What if my clinical need is temporary?

Supplements are designed for ongoing clinical needs, but “ongoing” does not necessarily mean permanent. If you need enteral feeding for six months while recovering from surgery, you may receive the supplement for that period. The supplement can be discontinued once the clinical need resolves, and it can be reinstated if the need returns.

Are supplements means-tested?

Supplements follow the same contribution rules as the broader Support at Home program. Clinical services generally carry no participant contribution, and since supplements typically fund clinical needs, most supplement-funded services attract no out-of-pocket cost to you. However, specific fee arrangements may vary, so ask your provider for clarity on any contributions related to your supplement. To get a sense of what your core budget might look like, you can estimate your Support at Home budget and contributions based on your classification level.

Managing supplements effectively

Keep your clinical documentation current

Supplements are reviewed periodically, and having up-to-date clinical documentation makes the review process smoother. Ask your treating specialist for a review letter at least once a year, or whenever your clinical situation changes significantly.

Monitor your supplement spending

Request regular statements from your provider that show supplement spending separately from your core budget. This helps you verify that your core funding is not being used for supplement-related costs, and that your supplement is being spent appropriately.

Communicate with your provider

If your clinical needs change, whether they increase or decrease, let your provider know promptly. An increase in need may warrant a higher supplement amount or a reassessment. A decrease may mean the supplement can be adjusted, freeing up resources in the system for others.

Know your rights

You have the right to:

  • See a full breakdown of how your supplement is being spent
  • Request a review of your supplement amount if your needs change
  • Change providers without losing your supplement
  • Appeal a decision to deny or reduce your supplement

How Carevo can help

Navigating supplements can be confusing, especially when you are already managing complex clinical needs. Carevo connects you with aged care providers who have experience managing supplement-funded services, including oxygen therapy and enteral feeding. With 2,131 aged care providers listed in the Carevo directory, you can narrow your search to those equipped for your specific clinical requirements.

Through Carevo, you can:

  • Find providers with specific experience in clinical supplement management
  • Compare how different providers handle supplement billing and reporting
  • Connect with providers who work with DVA clients

For a full overview of how the Support at Home program works, including classification levels and quarterly budgets, visit our Support at Home program complete guide. To explore available services in your area, see our Support at Home services page.

Frequently asked questions

Can I have more than one supplement at the same time?

Yes. If you have multiple clinical needs that qualify for supplements, such as both oxygen therapy and enteral feeding, you can receive multiple supplements simultaneously. Each is assessed and funded independently.

Do supplements affect my participant contribution (fees)?

Supplements may have their own fee arrangements, which are separate from the contributions you pay on your core budget. Clinical services under the Support at Home program generally have no participant contribution, and many supplement-funded services fall into the clinical category.

What happens to my supplement if I change providers?

Your supplement allocation follows you if you change providers, just like your core budget. Make sure your new provider is equipped to manage the specific clinical services covered by your supplement before you switch.

Are there other supplements beyond oxygen, enteral feeding, and DVA?

The supplement framework under Support at Home is designed to be flexible. As the program matures, additional supplement categories may be introduced. The core principle is that any clinical need with costs that would unreasonably deplete a standard quarterly budget can potentially be addressed through a supplement.

How do I check how much of my supplement has been spent?

Your provider should include supplement spending in your regular budget statements. If you cannot see a clear breakdown of supplement versus core budget spending, ask your provider for a detailed statement. You have the right to see exactly how your funding is being used.