CDHCI Program Alberta: How Client-Directed Home Care Invoicing Works

What CDHCI Actually Is

Client-Directed Home Care Invoicing — CDHCI — is Alberta's publicly funded program that lets families choose a private home care agency instead of using the standard AHS-assigned provider. Alberta Blue Cross is billed directly at the funded rate of $34.03 per hour for the care hours your parent was assessed for under the regular public system.

The distinction from standard home care matters: under the regular AHS home care stream, the province assigns a specific provider and schedules visits. You get what you get. Under CDHCI, you pick the agency, negotiate scheduling directly with them, and can switch providers if the relationship isn't working — using the program's funded hours.

Who Qualifies

CDHCI isn't a separate application. Your parent must first go through the standard continuing care pathway:

1. Request a care assessment through Health Link 811 or your zone's Continuing Care Access Centre
2. An AHS case manager conducts an interRAI assessment to determine care needs and approved hours
3. Once home care hours are approved, ask the case manager about switching to the CDHCI stream

The key requirement is that your parent must already be receiving — or be approved for — publicly funded home care services. CDHCI doesn't add hours; it changes how those approved hours are delivered.

How the Funding Works

Under CDHCI, the private agency you choose bills Alberta Blue Cross directly at the $34.03/hour rate for approved hours. Ask the agency whether any cost beyond the funded rate would apply. The agency must be an approved CDHCI provider — not every private agency participates, so ask the case manager for the current provider list in your zone.

The $34.03 rate is the program's funded amount. If an agency quotes $45/hour, ask whether the $10.97/hour difference would be billed to your family and how any additional charges are handled before you enroll.

CDHCI vs. Self-Managed Care

Alberta offers a second alternative called Self-Managed Care, and the two programs serve different families:

CDHCI suits families who want agency-level reliability — scheduling, backup caregivers when someone calls in sick, liability coverage — with the freedom to pick which agency provides it. The agency handles payroll, training, and worker's compensation.

Self-Managed Care gives families a budget to hire individual caregivers directly. You become the employer, handling scheduling, payroll, tax remittances, and finding backup coverage yourself. It offers maximum control but comes with administrative weight that many families in a care crisis can't absorb.

Most families arranging care for the first time find CDHCI is the practical choice — agency infrastructure without losing the ability to choose your provider.

When CDHCI Makes the Biggest Difference

CDHCI is especially valuable in three situations:

Cultural or language matching. If your parent speaks primarily Cantonese, Punjabi, or Ukrainian, the standard assigned provider may not have caregivers who speak their language. CDHCI lets you choose an agency that specializes in your parent's community.

Scheduling flexibility. The standard AHS stream assigns visit times based on provider availability. CDHCI lets you negotiate schedules directly with the agency — useful when your parent's routine doesn't align with standard morning or afternoon visit windows.

Provider quality concerns. If your parent has had poor experiences with an assigned provider, CDHCI offers a way to change without going through the formal complaint process. You simply choose a different approved agency.

Getting Started

Ask your parent's AHS case manager about transitioning to CDHCI at your next care plan review. The case manager can walk you through the approved provider list for your health zone and help with the paperwork.

For a complete walkthrough of Alberta's home care system — from the initial 811 call through assessment, care planning, and all the funding options available to your family — the Alberta Care Decision Guide covers every step with checklists you can use during case manager meetings.

See more Alberta guides →