From 1 April 2026, the care minutes supplement is no longer a future policy change. It is your funding reality, and it starts today.
The Department of Health and Aged Care has published the October to December 2025 quarter performance data for residential aged care facilities. That data has already determined the supplement rate MM1 providers will receive for April to June 2026. You do not need to apply. Services Australia will automatically calculate and pay the relevant amount each month, starting with your April claim paid in May.
If you have not yet reviewed your facility's performance data, that is the first thing to do today.
What has changed
The Base Care Tariff for MM1 non-specialised homes has reduced, with up to $33.41 per resident per day redirected into the new care minutes supplement. Providers who fully met their October to December 2025 targets will see no net change in funding. Those who fell short will see a real reduction, starting this month, on a sliding scale based on how close they came to both their total care minutes and Registered Nurse targets.
The financial gap between full compliance and significant underperformance is not trivial. For a facility of average size, it can run to hundreds of thousands of dollars across a quarter.
Where to find your data
The Department has changed how care minutes information is published. Targets are no longer available in the GPMS and performance data is published online. You can now access them here:
Q3 2025-26 has ended. Your QFR is due 4 May.
The Quarterly Financial Report is due 4 May 2026. The care minutes data you report in that QFR will set your supplement rate for Q1 2026-27 (July to September 2026).
There is no grace period between understanding past performance and planning for what comes next. Two things need to happen in parallel right now: review your Q3 care time data carefully before the 4 May deadline, and understand what your Q2 result means for the cash you will receive this quarter.
Q4 2025-26 starts today
Quarter 4 of 2025-26 (April to June 2026) is now underway. The care minutes you deliver this quarter will determine your supplement for Q2 2026-27 (October to December 2026). The cycle is continuous, and providers who build genuine real-time visibility over their performance will be better placed at every step.
Reach out if you have concerns
If your Q2 or Q3 result was below target, or you are uncertain what it means for your funding position, we want to hear from you. The difference between acting now and waiting is another quarter of reduced revenue.
