Secretary Ted Dallas Hosts HealthChoices Faith-based Roundtable

PHILADELPHIA, June 5, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Ted Dallas partnered with Reverend Dr. Malcolm T. Byrd, Interim Director of the City of Philadelphia Mayor's Office of Faith-Based Initiatives, to convene a discussion about Governor Wolf's Medicaid expansion plan with 80 leaders representing faith-based organizations that serve more than 600,000 Philadelphians.

The meeting hosts led a discussion on the challenges and barriers faced by faith-based leaders in their communities that impact individual health care decisions. DHS seeks to join in one collective voice that will encourage Pennsylvania's citizens to enroll in the commonwealth's Medicaid expansion plan through HealthChoices and work towards developing a collaborative community plan that will reach all residents in need of quality health care.  

"We cannot do this alone. The alliance formed between health care and the community's faith-based organizations is vital to improving the health outcomes of Pennsylvania residents and their communities," said Secretary Dallas. "There are currently 265,000 newly eligible Pennsylvanians in HealthChoices receiving the new Adult benefit package, but there are hundreds of thousands more in need of health care coverage."

Pennsylvania is transitioning to a simple traditional Medicaid expansion through DHS' HealthChoices plans. The transition will be complete by early September, when the 120,000 Pennsylvanians remaining in the Private Coverage option are moved to HealthChoices.

HealthChoices provides health care coverage to Pennsylvanians who are most in need.

For more information, visit www.HealthChoicesPA.com.  

MEDIA CONTACT:   Kait Gillis, DHS, 717-425-7606

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Human Services

Related Links

http://www.HealthChoicesPA.com