Juniper welcomes renewed attention on the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT) and the growing recognition that algorithm-driven aged care assessments are not delivering fair outcomes for older Australians.
Minister for Aged Care and Seniors Sam Rae has asked the Department to conduct a rapid review of the IAT, with findings to be provided within three months. This review will run alongside an investigation by the Commonwealth Ombudsman.
At the same time, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care Anne Ruston has proposed legislation that would restore human oversight in aged care assessments by allowing qualified assessors to override algorithm-generated decisions.
The Aged Care Amendment (Restoring Human Override for Aged Care Needs Assessments) Bill 2026 would allow qualified assessors to override decisions generated by the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT), which currently determines aged care classifications and priority levels without any capacity for human intervention.
Juniper raised concerns about the assessment process in its submission to the inquiry into the Transition from the Commonwealth Home Support Program to the new Support at Home program, warning that algorithm-driven assessments were producing funding outcomes that did not reflect older people’s actual care needs.
These “robo decisions”, as we described them, have seen customers with complex health conditions receive reduced funding despite clear clinical evidence demonstrating greater care needs.
Juniper CEO Russell Bricknell said the current situation was deeply concerning.
“No older Australian should be denied the care they need because an algorithm has got it wrong,” Mr Bricknell said. “Decisions about a person’s care should be informed by professional judgement and individual circumstances, not determined solely by a computer-generated outcome.”
Human override was removed on 1 November 2025 without consultation, leaving assessors unable to correct decisions generated by the algorithm. Senate Estimates last week heard the tool was rolled out without live testing and that around one in four assessments are now conducted remotely.
There have also been reports of assessors leaving the system because they are unable to exercise their professional judgement when assessment outcomes do not reflect an individual’s circumstances.
The concerns come as around 200,000 Australians remain on aged care waitlists, either waiting for an assessment or for funding to commence. Delays in the Support Plan Review process are further compounding the issue, with customers often required to exhaust existing funding before reassessments are approved.
Mr Bricknell said it was encouraging to see growing recognition of the issues that providers, assessors and older Australians had been raising for some time.
“It has taken a while, but it’s clear the mounting evidence has been listened to,” he said.
“We welcome the Minister’s commitment to review the system and the Coalition’s proposal to restore human oversight. We’re hoping these processes lead to the changes that are needed to make sure older Australians get the level of support that they deserve.”
Mr Bricknell said restoring human decision-making was a necessary step to ensure older Australians received care that reflected their individual needs.
“Technology should support professional judgement, not replace it,” he said. “Decisions about a person’s care should ultimately be made by qualified people who can properly assess their circumstances.”
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