DRP Successfully Advocates for Community HealthChoices Waiver Services

DRP assisted a 26-year-old woman from Allegheny County in accessing services from the Community HealthChoices Waiver.  The managed care organization assigned to provide the woman with services had reduced her personal assistance services hours from 70 to 56 per week and denied her request for a repair or replacement of her wheelchair.  After a grievance panel also denied the woman’s request for 70 hours of weekly personal assistance services, DRP prepared to advocate for her at a fair hearing.  In lieu of the fair hearing, DRP persuaded the managed care organization to conduct a reassessment.  After the reassessment, the managed care organization approved 101 hours of personal assistance services– 31 more hours per week than the woman had been getting.!  In addition, DRP ensured that the women’s wheelchair was repaired.