The commonwealth ombudsman is investigating the federal government’s algorithm-based aged care assessment tool after widespread concerns were raised about how it determines support for older Australians living at home.
The tool, known as the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT), has been described by assessors as “cruel” and “inhumane” in relation to its decisions about home support funding. The investigation follows hundreds of complaints made to Guardian Australia, as well as to politicians and advocacy organisations.
Complaints over assessment outcomes
The IAT was made mandatory in November by the Albanese government as part of broader aged care reforms. Since then, the system has drawn criticism from people involved in assessments and from those who say it is producing unfair outcomes for older Australians seeking help to remain at home.
According to the report, assessors have objected strongly to the way the algorithm-based tool allocates funding, with concerns focused on the impact on vulnerable elderly people. The complaints have prompted scrutiny beyond individual cases and into the design and operation of the assessment process itself.
Growing pressure on the government
The ombudsman’s involvement adds another layer of pressure on the government over one of its key aged care reforms. The IAT was introduced as part of a wider effort to reshape how aged care support is assessed and delivered, but the number of complaints has raised questions about whether the tool is working as intended.
The source report indicates that the concerns have been persistent enough to reach a range of political and advocacy channels, not just the media. That breadth of complaint suggests the issue has become a significant public policy problem rather than an isolated administrative dispute.
At the centre of the controversy is whether a mandatory algorithm can properly account for the needs of older Australians seeking home support. Critics argue that the assessment process is producing outcomes that are too rigid, while the government now faces formal scrutiny from the commonwealth ombudsman.
The investigation is ongoing.
