Aged care providers ask for $1.1 billion

Aged care providers have asked the federal government for an extra $1.1 billion to help them survive the coronavirus crisis.

The seven major aged care organisations have proposed what they describe as a rescue package.

It includes approximately $250 million for home care, $546 million for residential care and $500 million for information technology and training.

The government has already pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into the aged care sector during the pandemic.

But the peak bodies said more than half of providers were already losing money before COVID-19 broke out.

They warned the dire financial situation was putting hundreds of thousands of vulnerable Australians at risk.