Pennsylvania is changing the way services are provided to certain groups of Medicaid recipients.

Pennsylvania is changing the way services are provided to certain groups of Medicaid recipients. Those affected will be:

• people enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid (Medical Assistance)
• people enrolled in Medicaid waivers for physical disabilities and older adults
• Medicaid-eligible people who live in a nursing home

Starting next year, long-term services and supports for those individuals will be provided through Community HealthChoices (CHC), a Medicaid-managed care program. The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) has begun to mail information to individuals who will move to CHC. Notices were sent, beginning Sept. 25, to inform participants that they will transition to CHC on January 1, 2018, and will need to select a health plan, also called a managed care organization. The notice also tells potentially eligible participants that they may be eligible for the Living Independently for Elders (LIFE) program, which allows the elderly to live in their own home while receiving services and supports to meet their health and personal needs. Additionally, pre-enrollment packets were mailed, beginning Oct. 2, to these participants that contained information about the health plans, benefits and how to enroll. Automated calls will be made to let participants know that the packets are coming and to remind participants to enroll. If a participant does not select a plan by Nov. 13, he or she will be assigned to a plan. Individuals can change their plan at any time. All documents that have been sent to participants are posted on the CHC website.