Getting paid
Who pays whom, what the rates actually mean, and how a caregiver’s pay is figured — in plain language.
Who pays whom
- The health plan pays Spangler for authorized, verified hours of care.
- Spangler pays the caregiver W-2 wages on a regular payday.
- The family pays nothing. There is never any fee to the family.
Caregivers are paid hourly, for authorized hours only — the hours set in the care plan and verified through the visit-verification system.
Pay is W-2 wages: taxes are withheld, and caregivers have workers’ compensation coverage as Spangler employees.
The agency rate — what it is, and what it is not
Health plans pay the agency a contracted rate for each hour of care. A published Delaware rate schedule lists $27.42 per hour for agency personal care (Delaware DDDS published rates). Spangler’s own contracted rates will be set with each health plan at enrollment and may differ. That is the AGENCY rate — it covers the caregiver’s wages, payroll taxes, insurance, the visit-verification and billing systems, and our staff. It is not the caregiver’s hourly wage.
Wage context
Delaware home-care aides earn a median of about $16.50 an hour — a mean of about $16.97 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Example only
25 authorized hours a week at $16.50 an hour ≈ $412 a week, about $1,788 a month before taxes. Your authorized hours are set by your care plan and approved by your health plan, and Spangler must complete licensing and enrollment before any paid care begins. Pay rates are confirmed at enrollment and may vary by plan.
This example is for illustration only.
The 40-hour rule
Delaware caps paid care by a family member who is legally responsible for the person receiving care at 40 hours per week each.
Your pay stays yours
Spangler will never ask for any share of a caregiver’s pay — that is prohibited, and it is also just wrong.
Questions about pay?
Sign up and we will walk through your family’s care plan and authorized hours with you at enrollment, when pay rates are confirmed.