104-Page Report Calls for Human Override in Aged Care Algorithm

The Commonwealth Ombudsman has recommended that assessors be granted the power to amend algorithmic decisions regarding aged care funding, a move the Greens plan to pursue in the final two weeks of the parliamentary session. The recommendation appears in a 104-page report published Monday, which argues that the Integrated Assessment Tool, or IAT, has undermined public confidence in the sector by producing unfair outcomes for older Australians.

David Shoebridge, the leader of the Greens, cited the report to press the government for legislative change. He stated that aged care workers are currently unable to correct the tool when it denies funding to clients who meet the criteria for support. Shoebridge described the situation as arbitrary, noting that the ombudsman found the system unfair from its inception.

State health officials had previously logged hundreds of cases where algorithmic changes introduced in November led to severe under-assessment of vulnerable individuals. In a joint statement, Aged Care Minister Sam Rae and Health Minister Mark Butler said the government would consider the report carefully. They noted that six of the report's ten recommendations were accepted, while two, including the specific call for a human override and legislative amendment, were only noted.

The government argues that a new escalation pathway already allows for human oversight. Rae said this process enables delegates to review outcomes that are not fit for purpose, adding a layer of nuance to the system. However, Ombudsman Iain Anderson expressed concern that this pathway might not allow assessors to change decisions that appear clinically inappropriate in the moment.

An aged care assessor with over 40 years of nursing experience, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the escalation process is insufficient. She explained that delegates reviewing cases have not met the clients in person, meaning they lack the full context of the individual's needs. She described the current workflow as causing severe anxiety and distress among staff who must accept algorithmic decisions they believe are wrong.

The assessor noted that the administrative burden of escalating cases has led to missed performance metrics and longer working hours. She said she often feels compelled to walk away from the computer when forced to confirm a decision she disagrees with. She urged ministers to observe the process firsthand, stating that they are not the ones facing clients who are often in tears after hearing the outcome.

Shadow Aged Care Minister Anne Ruston described the government's escalation pathway as a Band-Aid on a symptom. She argued that proper human override must be reinstated. Independent Senator David Pocock accused the government of resisting fixes to a problem it created, noting that the ombudsman found the department that designed the system did not fully understand its own legal framework.