Health officials scrambled in a last-minute emergency briefing just days before deploying a new algorithm designed to allocate funding for older Australians, after uncovering a critical legal flaw. Internal emails reveal the department had previously assured aged care assessors they could override incorrect algorithm decisions, but new regulations would actually prevent them from doing so. The discovery came late in the process, forcing ministers to confront a clash between the tool’s intended flexibility and the rigid wording of the proposed legislation. Concerns over the tool’s enforceability raise questions about how the system will function once fully implemented.
Ministers given emergency briefing about changes to algorithm decisions just three days before tool rolloutGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSenior department of health officials were in turmoil before the rollout of an algorithm to determine funding packages for older Australians, after discovering legislation had been drafted so rigidly that the tool could not legally be overridden by aged care assessors.Emails published under freedom of information (FoI) by the department of health, disability and ageing show that, despite assessors long receiving reassurance from the department that they would have powers to change incorrect algorithm decisions, officials realised at the 11th hour this would violate proposed regulations. Continue reading...
