CDHCI is an acronym for Client Directed Home Care Invoicing. It is a program under Alberta Blue Cross that supports people of all ages.
Background
Conventionally home care clients in Alberta receive home care through AHS (Alberta Health Services) contracted providers, AHS in house caregivers who are employed by AHS, or self-managed care, where responsibility is given to client and family, e.g. Client handles paying the private caregiver with statutory deductions.
CDHCI
In CDHCI, an AHS home care case manager conducts a client assessment about their medical history, activities in daily living such as self-care, transfers, ambulation, medications, and falls risk, your case manager will let you know how much your approved home care hours are.
The client works on the approved hours to meet needs in the home, with CDHCI clients has liberty to choose their home care provider of choice such as Okocare to provide home care services, by doing so there is more sway in scheduling care, home care services offered are upgraded and enhanced further on than an AHS contracted service provider or in house AHS HCAs.
This can be with new or current home care client, or unique situations such as newly discharged from hospital due to illness or surgery, waiting for supportive living bed, to reach remote rural areas, and overnight care. Talking about upgraded and enhanced services, with Okocare we can work on finding an HCA who has the same or similar ethic background and can communicate with the client’s mother language.
Eligibility
To be eligible for CDHCI, the client must reside in the province of Alberta, have a valid health care card and services can be safely done at home. CDHCI does not cover if the client lives in a group home, private lodge or private assisted living. The client or client’s authorized agent must be willing to accept responsibilities such as pay for:
- Services received that are beyond the approved hours.
- Extra charges that are above the hourly rate covered by CDHCI.
- Overtime pays and statutory holidays.
- CDHCI funding is put on hold when client is admitted to hospital.
- Services received prior to CDCHI approval.
- Unused hours cannot be carried over to subsequent month.
How to choose the CDHCI care provider agency?
Check the Alberta Blue Cross website for the list of approved care provider agencies here is the link: Client Directed Home Care | Alberta Blue Cross®
Ensure the care provider agency complies with meeting criminal reference checks and insurance requirements to be an eligible vendor. Insurances that shall be procured are Workers’ Compensation insurance, Commercial General Liability Insurance, Automobile Liability Insurance, Professional liability Insurance and Fidelity insurance.
How should I proceed?
Do you think you or your loved-one would benefit from CDCHI?
You can do a self-referral by calling the community care access tel: 4039431920 Calgary Zone and Area – Community Care Access | Alberta Health Services or if you are a current home care client, please contact your AHS case manager.
