“…Some nasty Budget surprises have emerged – including cuts affecting teachers and elderly rest home residents.
As Parliament headed into urgency to start pushing through a hefty hike in tobacco taxes -
- new legislation also emerged changing the asset threshold for deciding a person’s eligibility for aged rest home care – just weeks before the next rise was due to take effect.
Instead of raising the threshold by $10,000 a year each July 1, the threshold will now rise in line with inflation.
A regulatory impact analysis prepared by the Health Ministry estimates the move will save the Government $16.4 million in 2015-16 – a cost that has been shifted on to the elderly instead.
About 610 elderly rest home residents are likely to be affected.
It is the first significant change to asset testing in several years…”
(cont..)
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