How the CDHCI Invoicing Process Works
Once someone is enrolled in CDHCI and their funded hours have been confirmed, the day-to-day process is fairly straightforward:
1- The client selects an approved CDHCI provider. The family or the individual receiving care chooses a participating organization that is authorized to deliver services under the CDHCI program. This includes home care agencies enrolled and approved to invoice through Alberta Blue Cross.
2- The Care Pro delivers the agreed services. The approved hours are used for personal care, companionship, meal preparation, medication reminders, light housekeeping, and any other tasks outlined in the individual's care plan.
3- The provider invoices Alberta Blue Cross directly. Rather than families submitting reimbursement claims on their own, the care agency handles the invoicing process through Alberta Blue Cross, which administers CDHCI on behalf of AHS. Families don't have to manage the paperwork.
4- AHS continues to play an active role. The AHS care coordinator stays involved: conducting reassessments, adjusting funded hours when circumstances change, and ensuring the plan continues to meet the client's needs.
It is a thoughtfully designed system. Families gain flexibility and choice, while AHS maintains the oversight needed to ensure quality and appropriate use of public funding.
What CDHCI Actually Covers
CDHCI funds the types of personal care and daily living support that AHS would otherwise deliver through its standard home care program. In most cases, this includes:
1- Personal care: assistance with bathing, grooming, dressing, and mobility
2- Meal preparation: planning and making nutritious meals at home
3- Light housekeeping: keeping a safe and tidy living environment
4- Medication reminders: making sure prescriptions are taken correctly and on time
5- Social engagement and supportive supervision, where this aligns with the approved care plan
6- Accompaniment to appointments and community activities, depending on the care plan and approved services
For older adults managing chronic health conditions, recovering after a hospital stay, or living with memory challenges like dementia or Alzheimer's disease, these services can be the difference between staying safely and comfortably at home versus moving into a care facility before that is truly necessary.
Why Families Choose CDHCI (and Why the Right Match Matters)
The most common thing we hear from families exploring CDHCI is a desire for consistency. When care is ongoing (whether that is a few hours each week or multiple visits a day), the relationship between your loved one and their Care Pro carries real weight.
Older adults tend to accept help more readily from someone they know and feel comfortable with. They are more engaged, more at ease, and generally safer when there is genuine trust between them and the person providing care. That is not simply a nice idea. It is a factor that meaningfully shapes care outcomes.
CDHCI gives families the time and space to do their research: reading reviews, asking questions, visiting agencies, and ultimately choosing a provider they feel genuinely confident about. Rather than simply accepting whoever might be available on a given day, families get to make a real choice.
Many families also prefer working with an established agency for the structure and support it provides: thorough caregiver screening, scheduling assistance, supervision, and the consistency that comes from having coverage even when life happens. Home Instead Red Deer is enrolled as an approved CDHCI provider, which means the process is simple for families. You choose the fit that is right for your loved one, and we handle the invoicing through Alberta Blue Cross.
How to Get Started with CDHCI in Red Deer
If you think CDHCI 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 reach out through Health Link (811) or ask your loved one's family doctor for a referral to get the process underway.
2- Ask specifically about the client-directed model when you speak with an AHS care coordinator. Let them know you are interested in CDHCI and want to understand what options are available to your family.
3- Use the time to research care providers in your area. While AHS is completing the assessment, you can learn about home care agencies serving Red Deer, read reviews, and get clear on what matters most to your family in a care relationship.
4- Come prepared with questions. A trustworthy care provider will take the time to understand your loved one's situation fully before recommending a care plan. If someone rushes past your questions, that tells you something too.
We're Here When Your Family Is Ready
Sorting through home care funding options can feel like a lot, especially when you are already carrying the emotional weight of watching a parent need more help than they used to.
If you are a Red Deer family exploring CDHCI, or if you simply want to talk through your options before making any decisions, we would genuinely love to hear from you. The team at Home Instead Red Deer has been helping local families navigate these conversations for years. We are happy to walk you through how our Care Pros are matched to clients, answer your questions honestly, and help you figure out whether in-home care through CDHCI could be the right path forward.
There is no pressure and no rush. Just a real conversation about what your family needs.
Call us at (403) 222-0393 or visit us online to learn more about in-home senior care in Red Deer. We are here.
