Paying for home care in BC comes from a mix of government programs, insurance, and private pay. Which funders apply to you depends entirely on your situation: age, diagnosis, how the injury happened, and whether you qualify for a subsidy. Here's a rundown of every common funder on Vancouver Island and what each one actually covers.
Government-Funded Home Care
Government-funded home care is available through your local Health Authority. A financial assessment determines whether you qualify for subsidized service, and many people pay nothing. Those who don't qualify fully pay a per diem for the services they use each day.
Government services are typically capped at 60 hours per month. Qualifying individuals with high needs and no alternatives can be approved for up to 120 hours, and anyone needing more than that gets emergency waitlisted for long-term care placement. Subsidized Assisted Living and Long-Term Care are also available with a maximum cost cap. The CAP Program limits home-support fees each month for individuals with earned income.
Choice in Supports for Independent Living (CSIL)
CSIL funding may be available to individuals living with a life-limiting illness such as MS, cerebral palsy, or other chronic conditions. People who qualify receive a monthly amount of government funding and gain far more control over their care circumstances and team.
The trade-off is administrative. CSIL clients (or their family) have to recruit, schedule, pay, and complete financial reporting for their own care providers. Strong family support or other help is almost always needed, and strong advocacy or legal representation is highly advisable. CSIL clients also cannot hire private home care agencies to deliver their services in most circumstances.
CommunityPlus offers Care Management Services to CSIL clients to make the program workable. Our team handles scheduling and communication with care providers, sends pay stubs and payroll reports so clients can pay their providers, and provides tax remittance reports for CRA and financial reports for CSIL compliance. Clients, family members, and care providers all get an electronic portal to view schedules and read each other's visit notes. Call us at 250-658-6508 for more information.
Private Home Care
Private care is usually paid for directly by the client or through their POA or trustee. Attendant-care services qualify for CRA tax credits, and CommunityPlus sends an annual receipt each year describing our services correctly for easy submission.
Extended Health and Long-Term Care Insurance
Workplace extended health plans very rarely cover home caregiving or personal care. There is usually an allowance for home nursing visits when authorized by a physician, and that's about it.
Long-term care insurance is supplemental private-pay insurance that covers caregiving services and ADLs. These policies are rarely encountered in BC, but two providers to know are Sunlife LTC Insurance and myDignity LTC Insurance.
MCFD, CLBC, and First Nations Health Authority
The Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) authorizes home caregiving and nursing services for qualifying individuals under 19. Community Living BC (CLBC) authorizes the same services for qualifying individuals 19 and older, and also funds group homes, community inclusion, day programs, and other supports for eligible disabled adults.
The First Nations Health Authority provides a range of province-wide health support for Indigenous British Columbians, including funding pathways for home care in some cases.
ICBC, WorkSafe BC, and Veterans Affairs
ICBC authorizes care for individuals injured in a motor vehicle accident. ICBC pays submarket rates ($43 per hour) for skilled home care, so we've chosen not to work with them directly. ICBC clients can pay us privately, and ICBC will reimburse them up to the authorized amount.
WorkSafe BC offers home support and nursing to workers injured on the job, generally delivered through a Primary or Alternate Service Provider assigned to each geography.
Veterans Affairs Canada funds community caregiving and nursing for eligible veterans and their surviving partners, and also provides monthly stipends to cover a range of other support needs.
Not sure which of these applies to your situation? Call us at 250-658-6508 and we'll help you sort out what you qualify for and how to access it.