Frequently Asked Questions

Home care refers to non-medical services provided in a person’s home to help them remain safe, comfortable, and independent. These services commonly include assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), such as bathing, dressing, grooming, mobility, meal preparation, light housekeeping, medication reminders, and companionship. Home care schedules may range from a few hours at a time to 24-hour support, depending on the individual’s needs.

Home care is different from home health care. Home health care involves medical or skilled services provided in the home, such as skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, or speech therapy, and generally requires an order from a qualified healthcare provider.

How home care is paid for depends on the individual’s coverage and eligibility. Traditional Medicare generally does not cover ongoing non-medical personal care when that is the only type of assistance needed. However, other programs and benefits may help pay for home care. Eligible Medi-Cal members may qualify for services through CalAIM Community Supports, including authorized Personal Care and Homemaker Services. Long-term care insurance, certain Veterans benefits, and other assistance programs may also help cover eligible services.

HomeCare Professionals can help families review available payment and program options and determine whether an individual may qualify for an authorized program.

See our “Get Started” section to learn about how we will guide you through each of the steps to make your arrangements.

Using a licensed Home Care Organization  is strongly recommended by nearly all major hospital systems, senior advocacy groups and industry trade associations such as the National Association for Home Care and Hospice (NAHC), the Home Care Association of America (HCAOA) and the California Association of Health Services at Home (CAHSAH) for numerous good reasons. A few of the primary areas of risk include:

Safety- Many recipients of home care services are at a point in their lives where they are truly dependent on assistance to live safely remain living at home. A licensed Home Care Organization typically have multiple available caregivers at any given time. That way if the caregiver on duty gets sick, injured or has an emergency as suitable replacement can be sent quickly. If a privately hired caregiver is suddenly unable or unwilling to work then the recipient of care could find themselves in extreme danger if no substitute is available.

Liability / Asset Protection- The more you have to lose the more risk you have. Generally speaking, when a caregiver is hired privately, the person who is paying the caregiver becomes the employer and can have all the liability that comes along in an employment relationship. The private employer is now at extreme risk for injury (Workmans Comp) claims, minimum wage/ overtime claims, harassment claims, unemployment claims and even health insurance claims no matter how suspect the claims may be.

Screening- Responsible companies have thorough screening processes in place. Documented reference checks, nationwide criminal background checks, employment eligibility, health/drug testing and driving records are just some of the layers of protection. Screening also includes examination of caregivers’ experience, skills sets and personalities- all important factors in home care.

Choice- People in need of home care tend to have dynamic needs. Changing needs can necessitate a change in caregiver for safety and practical considerations. A company is well suited to provide multiple caregiver candidates as needs change. Clients who hire someone privately are often simply “stuck” with the person they hired.

A “Domestic Referral Agency” (DRA) is a company that does not legally employ their caregivers as W2’d employees. DRAs instead elect to classify their caregivers as 1099 Independent Contractors. This business model usually allows the DRA to charge a lower hourly rate, but the recipient of care can then be burdened with the all of the liability that a true employer has such as caregiver injuries lawsuits, wage and hour lawsuits, unemployment claims and discrimination claims. The client and/or their family can become an unknowing “accidental employer” in this scenario. DRAs are supposed to disclose the potential liability issues to their clients, but it is difficult to determine if the required disclosures are being made.

A licensed Home Care Organization, such as HomeCare Professionals, assumes all of the employer responsibility so that our clients don’t have to worry about “what if something goes wrong”. We believe this is the morally right way to operate a company that is truly and advocate for seniors. This model does cost a bit more than the DRA model, but the security and piece of mind are well worth the additional cost to our clients.

Coverage for home care depends on the individual’s insurance, benefits, eligibility, and the program through which services are authorized.

Traditional Medicare generally does not cover ongoing non-medical personal care, homemaker services, or 24-hour care when those are the only services a person needs. Medicare may cover certain short-term or intermittent home health services for individuals who meet Medicare’s eligibility requirements.

Home care may also be paid for through other sources. These can include:

• Long-Term Care Insurance
• Eligible Veterans benefits
• Private pay
• Medi-Cal programs and CalAIM Community Supports

Under CalAIM, eligible Medi-Cal members may qualify for Community Supports such as Personal Care and Homemaker Services. When those services are approved by the member’s Medi-Cal managed care plan and authorized through an eligible arrangement, HomeCare Professionals may be able to provide the approved home care services.

Because coverage varies by program, health plan, eligibility, and authorization, we encourage families to contact HomeCare Professionals so we can help review their available options.