A home care quote has a main line for the care itself. Most families read that line and stop. That is the mistake. The add-on lines decide whether two quotes that look close are actually close.
Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.
Make a list before you compare. For each agency, write down every charge that is not the care visit. Leave a line blank if the agency does not name one. A blank is a finding, so write it down as one.
The lines to ask about
Ask each agency to confirm, in writing, whether it charges any of these:
An intake or admission fee, charged once at the start or again when a new client file opens.
A travel or mileage charge, and how it is measured. Some agencies bill from their office, some from the caregiver's home, and some from the client's door.
A supply charge for items the caregiver brings into the home, such as gloves, disposable items, or cleaning products.
A background screening or training fee, and whether it is charged per caregiver or per client.
A care plan or assessment fee, including any charge for the first visit where the agency looks over the home.
An administrative or service fee added to each invoice, and whether it is a fixed amount or a share of the total.
A minimum visit length. Ask how short a visit can be before the agency starts billing a longer block.
A fee for a late cancellation or a missed-visit reschedule, and exactly what counts as late.
Ask how each line is billed
Knowing a fee exists is not enough. Ask whether it is charged once, on every invoice, or only when something happens. Ask whether it is a fixed amount or a share of the total. Ask which invoice it appears on. An agency that answers these questions in plain terms is talking about money plainly. An agency that says it depends, with no written example, has given you a finding too.
Put the lines side by side
Take your list from each agency and set the lines in the same order. Use the same headings for every agency. Where one agency has no line, leave the cell empty and mark it as not stated. Then read down each column. The agency with the lowest total is not always the right choice, but the agency with the most unnamed lines is the one to question first.
Keep the add-on lines attached to the quote. If a fee is not on the signed page, it is not agreed. Ask for a revised quote before you sign anything that leaves a fee open.
Questions to ask on the call
Ask the agency to name every add-on line before the first visit. Ask what happens when the client is away from home for an appointment or a short hospital stay. Ask whether the agency charges for time when the caregiver is waiting. Ask whether any add-on changes when the care plan changes. Ask who you call when an invoice shows a line you do not recognize.
Where this fits
Read the full guide on reading a quote in How to read a home care quote. For how this desk scores agencies on how they talk about money, see How We Rate. This desk does not print an agency price. When an agency does not publish its rates, we record that as a finding and do not fill the gap with an estimate.