Your Rights

Home care consumers (clients) have a right to be notified in writing of their rights and obligation before treatment is begun. The client’s guardian may exercise the client’s right when the client has been judged incompetent.

Home care providers have an obligation to protect and promote the rights of their clients, including the following rights:

Clients and Providers Have a Right to Dignity and Respect

Home care clients and their formal caregivers have a right to mutual respect and dignity. Caregivers are prohibited from accepting personal gifts and borrowing from client.

Clients have the right:

  • to have relationships with home care providers that are based on honesty and ethical standards of conduct.
  • to be informed of the procedure they can follow to lodge complaints with the home care provider about the care that is, or fails to finish, and regarding a lack of respect for property. To lodge complaints with us, call our Administrator or Director of Patient Care Services: 1-818-609-9000.
  • to know the disposition of such complaints.
  • to voice their grievances without fear of discrimination or reprisal for having done so: and
  • to be advised of the telephone number and hours of operation of the agency. The office hours are 8:30 am – 5:00 pm, Monday thru Friday, and the number is 1-818-609-9000.

Decision making – Clients have the right:

  • to be notified in writing of the care that is to be furnished, the types (disciplines) of the caregivers who will furnish the care the frequency of the visits that are proposed to be furnished.
  • to be advised of any change in the plan of care before the change is made;
  • to participate in the planning of the care and in planning changes in the care, and to be advised that they have the right to do so; and
  • to refuse services or request a changes in caregiver without fear of reprisal or discrimination.

The home care provider or the client’s physician may be forced to refer the client to another source of care if the client’s refusal to comply with the plan of care threatens to compromise the provider’s commitment to quality care.

Privacy – Clients have the right:

  • to confidentiality with regard to information about their health, social and financial circumstances and about what takes place in the home; and
  • to expect the home care provider to release information only as required by law or authorized by the client.

Financial Information – Clients have the right:

  • to be informed of the extent to which payment may be expected from Medicare, Medi-Cal or any other payer known to the home care provider;
  • to be informed of the charges that will not be covered by Medicare;
  • to be informed of the charges for which the client may be liable;
  • to receive this information, orally and in writing, within fifteen working days of the date the home care provider becomes aware of any changes in charges and;
  • to have access, upon request, to all bills for service the client has received regardless of whether they are paid out-of-pocket or by another party.

Quality of Care – Clients have the right:

  • to receive care of the highest quality;
  • to pain assessment and management;
  • in general, to be admitted by a home care provider only if it has the resources needed to provide the care safely, and at the required level of intensity as determined by a professional assessment; however, a provider with less than optimal resources may nevertheless admit the client if a more appropriate provider is not available but only after fully informing the client of its limitations and the lack of suitable alternative arrangements; and
  • to be told what to do in case of an emergency.

Quality of Care – The home care provider shall assure that:

  • all medically related home care is provided in accordance with physicians’ order and that a plan of care specifies what services are to be provided and their frequency and duration; and
  • all medically related personal care is provided by an appropriately trained homemaker-home health aide who is supervised by a nurse or other qualified home care professional.