Australia's ombudsman calls an aged-care algorithm unreasonable and unfair

An algorithm in the government's assessment tool sets the home-support level older Australians get. The law bars assessors from overriding it, even when the result is clinically wrong.

Recommendations

10 from the ombudsman

The ombudsman's investigation made 10 recommendations, including changing the law to allow overrides and a full review of the algorithm's rules.

The ombudsman found no public information on how the algorithm reaches its results, which goes against the robodebt royal commission's transparency recommendations.

Health Minister Mark Butler and Aged Care Minister Sam Rae said the government accepts or accepts in principle all remaining recommendations.