DHS continues to provide access to high-quality services serving more people in the community
Harrisburg, PA – Department of Human Services (DHS) Deputy Secretary for the Office of Long-Term Living Kevin Hancock last week at the Capitol Media Center provided an update on the implementation of the Community HealthChoices (CHC). CHC launched in southwestern Pennsylvania on January 1, 2018, and is rolling out to the Southeast on January 1, 2019.
CHC is Pennsylvania’s managed care program for individuals who are dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare, and for individuals with physical disabilities requiring long term services and supports. CHC has been developed to improve access to and coordination of medical and person-centered long-term services and supports in which people have choice, control, and access to a full array of quality services that enable them to live independent and healthy lives in the setting they choose.
“The Department of Human Services has seen great success with the CHC rollout in the Southwest. The phased rollout of CHC has given us time to listen to participants and hear their experience with the program so that by 2020 we will be delivering the best local care possible to hundreds of thousands of seniors and participants across the commonwealth,” said Hancock. “We look forward to expanding the service offerings to Southeastern Pennsylvania in January 2019 and are preparing providers and eligible participants for this transition.”
In preparation for the launch of CHC in the Southeast region, the department has coordinated efforts with the CHC managed care organizations (CHC-MCOs) to host provider information sessions as well as community stakeholder sessions. These community stakeholder sessions offer potential CHC eligible community members the opportunity to learn more about CHC, gather resources, and ask questions that will enable an individual to choose a CHC-MCO that will best meet their needs.
“One of our priorities is to continue to enhance the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of the supports and services available to serve more people in communities, giving them the opportunity to work, spend more time with their families, and experience an overall better quality of life,” said Hancock. “This continued investment demonstrates a commitment to supporting elderly Pennsylvanians and individuals with physical disabilities.”
The rollout in the Southeast will include approximately 128,000 individuals. When fully implemented across the state, CHC will serve 450,000 Pennsylvanians, 94 percent of whom are dually eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare.
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