Our answers to common home care questions

1. Is Medicare or Medicaid funding available for these services?
Today, Medicare does not cover non-medical home care services. The exception to this is when a patient is eligible for Home Health Care (skilled nursing), continues to meet those criteria, and the home care services are provided by the Medicare certified Home Health Agency; there is a limit to how much home care will be covered. Medicaid offers some coverage to eligible Medicaid recipients. In this case the agency used must be a certified Medicaid provider. For more information, visit: http://www.cms.hhs.gov

2. I have insurance and I'm not sure if it covers non-medical home care and/or home health care services, will Del Lago Home Care verify coverage prior to starting service?
Yes. Del Lago Home Care is very comfortable in dealing with insurance companies. With your approval, we will check your coverage and let you know the results.

3. What different services do you offer?
Del Lago Home Care is proud to offer a full range of non-medical home care services. We are located adjacent to a Family Medical Clinic and have access to physicians, nurses and specialists that can help with patient care nd provide directions for the caregivers for better services for critical care at home.

4. Can you do short term senior care?
Yes. Our care is always determined by what you need – part of our "No Contracts, Just Care" philosophy. Your local office will work with you to create a plan of care specific to your individual needs.

5. Can you care for someone in a facility (hospital, nursing home, or assisted living)?
Yes. We provide services to you wherever you call home.

6. What if a family member needs to be put in a care facility while receiving Del Lago Home Care ‘s services?
We transition with you. We work with you and the facility to continue providing the services you request.

7. Do I have to sign a contract locking me into services?
No. Del Lago Home Care is here to meet your needs, and as your needs change, so will the services you receive. Our service agreement reflects this and flexes to meet changing needs.

8. How often do I get billed for services?
Billing is done on a weekly basis.

9. Is there any additional cost to me?
No. Every agreement is clear and transparent; there are no hidden fees. The most typical additional cost you may incur is mileage when you ask your caregiver to run errands in their personal vehicle.

10. Do you accept credit card payments?
We accept most all major credit cards.

11. What if I need to speak to someone in the office after business hours?
Del Lago Home Care's office staff is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. When the office is closed, there is an on-call person available to help you.

12. Why would I hire a Del Lago Home Care caregiver versus a private caregiver for my family?
If you hire privately, you become the employer of the caregiver. The following are just a few of the things you must take into consideration when hiring privately.

• Once you hire a caregiver privately, you are responsible for all state and federal payroll taxes.
• You must obtain Workers Compensation Insurance or make sure your private caregiver comes with insurance. If not, you could be responsible for any injuries claimed to have happened while working at your home. How will you pay for any claims of disability if they are filed against you?
• What happens if the private person doesn't show up for work? Are you prepared to stay home and take care of your loved one? If the care is for you, are you prepared to be left alone without care if the caregiver does not show up?
• Are you capable of running a comprehensive, national criminal background check?
• Is the private caregiver bonded against theft?
• Who will supervise him/her?

These are only some of the challenges to hiring privately. With Del Lago Home Care, you do not have to worry about any of these issues.

13. What should I be looking for in a non-medical home care agency?
The best in-home care agencies respond immediately to your home care needs.

• They should have someone available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
• They should guarantee that services will always be provided.
• Their employees should be bonded against theft.
• The attendants should be company employees, not contract employees. They should screen their employees and have national criminal background checks run on each of them.
• No one should ever show up at your home without an introduction and agency identification.
• They should provide periodic visits to your home in order to check on their employee and to make sure that you are happy with the services you're receiving.

14. How long will it take to get a caregiver?
Based on your needs and requests, we can provide a caregiver immediately or at your convenience.

15. Can I help choose the caregiver and/or meet them in advance?
Yes. If requested, Del Lago Home Care will arrange a meeting with a preselected caregiver. If at any time or for any reason you want to change caregivers, we will do so at no charge until you are completely satisfied.

16. What happens if a caregiver is unable to show up for a scheduled shift?
That's why we employ the Team approach. If your family's caregiver is unavailable for any reason, another is made immediately available.

17. How do you select my caregiver?
All of our caregivers have successfully passed a thorough reference and national criminal background check and are bonded and insured. We match your specific needs and requests to the skills and background of each caregiver to find the ideal companion.