How CareChoice Helps Philadelphia Families Navigate Community HealthChoices

Most families who contact CareChoice don’t start by saying “I need help with Community HealthChoices.” They start by saying something like, “My mom needs help and I don’t know where to begin.” That’s the real starting point — and it’s exactly where CareChoice meets you.

Community HealthChoices is the Medicaid managed care program that funds most home care services in the Philadelphia area. It’s a powerful system with real benefits. But between the MCO assignments, the service coordinators, the functional assessments, and the acronyms, it can feel like the system was designed to be navigated by people who already know how it works.

CareChoice exists to close that gap.

What CareChoice Actually Does for Families

When a Philadelphia family reaches out, the first thing we do is listen. Not to determine whether they “qualify” in some clinical sense — but to understand what’s actually happening at home. Who needs care? What kind of help do they need? Who in the family is already providing it? Is there a family member who could become a paid caregiver?

From there, CareChoice helps with every step in the process.

Medicaid enrollment support. If your loved one isn’t yet on Medical Assistance, we help families understand the application process through COMPASS and connect them with the Philadelphia County Assistance Office. We can’t submit the application for you, but we can make sure you know exactly what documents to gather, what to expect, and how to avoid the most common delays.

MCO selection guidance. When your loved one enrolls in CHC, they’re assigned to — or can choose — one of three Managed Care Organizations in the Southeast Zone: AmeriHealth Caritas, Keystone First CHC, or PA Health & Wellness. Each MCO has different strengths, different service coordinators, and different levels of responsiveness. CareChoice works with all three and can share real-world insights about which one might be the best fit for your family’s needs.

Assessment preparation. The functional eligibility assessment determines what services your loved one qualifies for and how many hours are authorized. Many families go into this assessment unprepared — they downplay their loved one’s needs, or they don’t think to mention certain challenges. CareChoice helps families understand what the assessment is looking for and how to accurately represent the level of care needed.

Participant-Directed Services activation. This is the step most families never hear about. PDS is the option within CHC that allows your loved one to choose their own caregiver — including a family member. If nobody tells you PDS exists, you’ll default to receiving care from a stranger assigned by an agency. CareChoice makes sure every family knows about this option and helps them request it during care planning.

Agency with Choice onboarding. Once a family member is named as the caregiver, they need to complete background checks (PA State Police, FBI, ChildLine), employment paperwork, and direct deposit setup through the Agency with Choice model. CareChoice facilitates this entire process — we handle the administrative side so the family can focus on the care.

What Families Say Surprised Them Most

The number one thing we hear from families after going through this process: “I had no idea any of this existed.” Not just the paid caregiving option — but the entire structure of support that CHC provides. Home modifications. Assistive technology. Respite care. Personal emergency response systems. These services are available but invisible to families who don’t know to ask.

The second most common reaction: “We would have given up without help.” The Medicaid system isn’t intuitive. Forms get lost. Phone trees lead nowhere. Service coordinators change. CareChoice provides a consistent point of contact who knows the system and knows your family’s situation.

Who CareChoice Serves

CareChoice works with families across the entire CHC Southeast Zone — Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties. We serve families from every background, every language, and every neighborhood. Whether your loved one needs 15 hours of care a week or 40, whether the caregiver is an adult daughter or a nephew or a grandchild, the process is the same and the support is the same.

If you’re already caring for someone and wondering whether there’s a way to get paid for it — or if you’re just trying to figure out what options exist for a family member who needs help — CareChoice is the call that starts everything.

Talk to our Philadelphia team → Contact CareChoice

Related: Complete Guide to Getting Paid as a Family Caregiver in PA → | Community HealthChoices in Philadelphia → | Agency with Choice in PA →