What moves a quote up or down
Four factors drive most of the variation. The number of parties to coordinate: one parent, one care manager, and one overseas child is a different job from two households, a guardian, and providers across two cities. Reporting: frequency, depth, and whether updates run in one language or two. Presence: work we can do remotely costs less than work that needs someone at an assessment, a facility visit, or a hospital meeting. And urgency: a discharge deadline compresses everything and usually adds hours.
Two budgets, kept separate
Our fees pay for coordination, preparation, and reporting. They never include the care itself. Covered services such as home help and day care carry their own co-payments, paid directly to providers, and care management by a care manager is fully covered by long-term care insurance at no user charge. Keeping these lines separate is part of the job: you should always be able to see what goes to providers, what goes to the insurance co-payment, and what goes to us.
For a first-pass sense of the provider-side budget, try the care cost simulator: pick a care level and co-payment rate and see the rough monthly shape before any quotes arrive.
The first consultation (30 minutes) is free, the written scope and quote that follow are free, and nothing converts into paid work without your approval. Engagements can be a single deliverable, a defined project, or an ongoing rhythm, and ending or shrinking the scope is part of the written agreement rather than a negotiation.