Before an intake call, prepare questions in five areas: who the provider is, what they will do, when they can come, what it will cost, and what happens next. The list below is written for New York City families speaking with a home care agency. Pick the questions that matter most and ask for the key answers in writing. An agency’s interest in your case does not mean it can accept the case, so the goal of the first call is a clear yes, no, or “here is what we still need.”
CaringNYC does not recommend or screen agencies, and this list does not guarantee that any agency can take a client.
Check these two things before you call
- The agency’s state record. Search the exact name in the NYS Home Care Profiles. The state says an organization must be licensed or certified to provide or arrange home care services.
- Who is likely to pay. If Medicaid will pay, the agency usually cannot start from your call alone. The NYC 311 home care page explains that an independent assessor decides service eligibility and refers the person to a plan or to the City’s CASA program.
Questions to ask on the intake call
Who you are speaking with
- What is your agency’s full legal name, and is that the name on your state license or certification?
- Are you a certified agency, a licensed agency, or something else?
- Do you employ the aides, or do you refer them to us?
- Do you serve our borough and ZIP code?
- Do you work with our payer: Medicaid plan, Medicare, private insurance, VA, or private pay?
What the service covers
- Which of the tasks on our list can your staff do? Which can they not do?
- What title and training will the assigned worker have?
- What can staff do around medication?
- Who supervises the worker, and how often does that person visit? New York’s definition of personal care services refers to a plan supervised by a registered nurse.
- Do you need a physician’s or nurse practitioner’s order or an in-home assessment before services start? Who performs it, and is there a charge?
Schedule and coverage
- What is the earliest realistic start date?
- Do you currently have staff for our days and hours, including evenings, weekends and holidays?
- Is there a minimum visit length or a minimum number of hours a week?
- How many different workers should we expect in a typical month?
- Can you match the languages we need? If the request is hard to fill, how long does that usually take?
- What happens if the worker is sick or late? How much notice will we get, and is a replacement guaranteed?
- If we need overnight care, how do you staff it? Would it be one live-in aide or several aides on shifts?
Cost and paperwork
- What is the rate for each type of service, and what is the billing unit?
- Are there extra charges for weekends, holidays, errands, travel, or assessment visits?
- What portion do you expect a third party to pay, and what would we pay?
- What notice is needed to cancel a visit or end service? Is there a charge?
- Can you send the rate sheet, service agreement and patients’ rights statement before we sign?
Contact and next steps
- Who is our day-to-day contact, and how do we reach someone after hours?
- How do we raise a complaint with your agency?
- What do you need from us next, and when will we hear back?
What licensed agencies must tell you
Several questions above overlap with state rules, so a clear answer is a reasonable thing to expect. Under 10 NYCRR 766.1, patients of licensed agencies have a right to receive:
- written notice of their rights before care begins,
- a statement of the agency’s available services and related charges,
- advance information on how much third-party payers may be expected to pay,
- information on the services to be provided, when and how they will be provided, and the name and functions of the people involved,
- advance notice of plan of care changes, and
- complaint procedures.
Certified agencies have similar duties under 10 NYCRR 763.2, which also requires written information about the Department of Health’s hotline. The state’s number for home care complaints and questions is 800-628-5972.
If Medicaid or a plan is paying
Hours and tasks are generally not the agency’s decision alone. Under 18 NYCRR 505.14, the social services district or managed care organization develops the plan of care with the individual, including the tasks, amount, frequency and duration, and the individual receives a copy. Add these questions:
- Have you received the authorization, and for how many hours?
- Do you have a contract with this plan?
- If you cannot staff all authorized hours, who do we tell?
Plan-related problems can go to ICAN, the state’s ombudsprogram for people with Medicaid who need long-term care, at 844-614-8800.
Record the answers
Use a short log so that you can compare agencies after two or three calls.
| Item | Agency A | Agency B |
|---|---|---|
| Date and person spoken to | ||
| License type confirmed on state site | ||
| Tasks included and not included | ||
| Earliest start and staffing for our hours | ||
| Rate, billing unit, minimum | ||
| Documents received | ||
| Next step and date |
Your next step
Choose your top ten questions, print them, and add your own task list. If you are not sure which type of provider to call, read our Home Care Services overview or browse Home Care & Senior Services. For Medicaid plan background, see Medicaid Plans.
Sources
All checked November 5, 2026.