Black Caucus Co-Chair Holds Medicaid Fair
WEST PALM BEACH - Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (FL-23), Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of the Congressional Caucus on Homelessness, and Congressman Ted Deutch (FL-19) will tour the Lord’s Place and host a Medicaid and health care enrollment fair on Wednesday, August 18th at 1:00 pm at the West Palm Beach homelessness center. Several organizations committed to expanding access to affordable health care will participate in the fair, including the Florida Department of Children and Families, Covering Children and Families, Florida Community Health Action Information Network, the Palm Beach County Health Care District, and local community health centers. In addition to the enrollment fair, which will run from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm at the Lord's Place, Reps. Hastings and Deutch will hold a press conference at 1:00 pm to highlight their work on behalf of homeless Floridians and low-income families seeking access to affordable care. In 2014, when the new health care reform law is fully enacted, more low-income and middle class Americans will be eligible for health care coverage under Medicaid. However, Floridians already eligible for Medicaid are drastically under-enrolled; Florida CHAIN estimates that 60,000 residents in Palm Beach and Broward Counties could receive coverage today but are simply not signed up. Additionally, Hastings will attend the Homeless Agency Advisory Board meeting at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, August 18th in Riviera Beach. The Lord’s Place is dedicated to breaking the cycle of homelessness by providing services to help men, women, and children in the Palm Beach County community. The Homeless Advisory Board was established by the Palm Beach County Commission in May 2007. The Board’s mission is the development of the “10-Year Plan to End Homelessness” in Palm Beach County.
