How Does the CDHCI Invoicing Process Work?
Once a client is enrolled in CDHCI and their funded hours are established, the process works roughly like this:
1- The client chooses an approved CDHCI provider. The client or their family selects a participating organization authorized to deliver services under the CDHCI program, such as a professional home care agency that is enrolled and approved to invoice through Alberta Blue Cross.
2- The care provider delivers services. The client's approved care hours are used for things like personal care, companionship, meal preparation, medication reminders, light housekeeping, and other support tasks outlined in the care plan.
3- The provider invoices through Alberta Blue Cross. The care provider submits invoices directly through Alberta Blue Cross, which administers CDHCI on behalf of AHS. Families don't need to manage reimbursement claims themselves.
4- AHS remains involved. The care coordinator continues to provide oversight, reassess needs over time, and adjust the funded hours as the client's situation changes.
It's a system designed to balance individual choice with public accountability: families get flexibility, and AHS maintains a framework that ensures quality and appropriate use of funding.
What Does CDHCI Cover?
CDHCI covers the types of personal care and daily living support that AHS would otherwise provide through its standard home care program. This typically includes:
- Personal care: help with bathing, grooming, dressing, and mobility
- Social engagement and supportive supervision may be included when aligned with the client's approved care plan.
- Meal preparation: planning and preparing nutritious meals at home
- Light housekeeping: maintaining a safe and tidy living environment
- Medication reminders: ensuring prescriptions are taken correctly and on schedule
- Depending on the care plan and approved services, support may include accompaniment to appointments and community activities.
For seniors managing chronic conditions, recovering from a hospital stay, or living with memory challenges like dementia or Alzheimer's, these services can make the difference between staying safely at home and moving into a care facility before they're ready, or need to.
Why Families Choose CDHCI — and Why the "Fit" Matters
The most common reason families turn to CDHCI is the desire for consistency and compatibility. When care is ongoing, whether that's a few hours a week or multiple visits a day, the relationship between your loved one and their care provider matters enormously.
Seniors are more likely to accept help from someone they trust. They're more engaged, more cooperative, and generally safer when they feel comfortable with the person in their home. That's not just a nice-to-have; it is a meaningful factor in care outcomes.
CDHCI allows families to do their homework: researching agencies, reading reviews, ask questions, and make a choice they feel confident about — rather than accepting whoever is assigned on a given day.
Many families prefer working with an established home care agency because of caregiver screening, supervision, scheduling support: and continuity of care. Agencies like Home Instead Edmonton are enrolled as approved CDHCI providers, which means the process is straightforward for families: you choose the provider that fits, and the invoicing is handled between the agency and Alberta Blue Cross.
How to Get Started with CDHCI in Edmonton or St. Albert
If you think CDHCI in Alberta might be a good fit for your family, here are the practical first steps:
1- Contact Alberta Health Services to request a home care assessment. You can call Health Link (811) or speak with your loved one's family doctor to get a referral.
2- Ask specifically about CDHCI when speaking with the AHS care coordinator. Let them know you're interested in the client-directed model and want to understand your options.
3- Research care providers in the meantime. Use that time to learn about home care agencies in your area, read reviews, and think about what matters most to your family in a care relationship.
4- Ask questions. A good home care provider will welcome your questions and take time to understand your loved one's specific situation before recommending a care plan.
We're Here When You're Ready
Navigating home care funding, and everything that comes with it,can feel overwhelming, especially when you're already managing the emotional weight of watching a parent need more support.
If you're an Edmonton or St. Albert family exploring CDHCI, or if you simply want to understand your options before making any decisions, we'd love to talk. The team at Home Instead Edmonton and St. Albert has been helping local families navigate these conversations since 2011. We're happy to answer questions, explain how our Care Pros are matched to clients, and help you figure out whether in-home care through CDHCI could be the right fit.
There's no pressure and no rush, just a genuine conversation about what your family needs.
Call us at (780) 439-9990 or visit us online to learn more about in-home senior care in Edmonton and St. Albert. We're here.