The Alachua County health program Choices (Community Health Offering Innovative Care and Educational Services), which provides health care services to the county’s working uninsured, got a new director Monday afternoon.
Bob Bailey, who has a master’s degree in health administration from the University of Cincinnati, said he has worked in health care for more than 35 years.
Bailey has lived in Gainesville for three years working for AvMed Health Plans.
Before that, he worked for various health management organizations in the Philadelphia area for 12 years.
Bailey, who began his first day in office Monday, was hired about two weeks ago to replace the previous director, Lorraine Austin.
Austin left four months ago for a different position.
Bailey said he wants to extend the benefits offered by Choices to more eligible citizens in innovative ways, such as mobile health screenings.
“We want to get similar benefits to people in other parts of the county who may not have the quality of care as those in Gainesville proper,” he said.
Bailey’s appointment comes on the heels of Congress’ historic passage of the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act, which will reportedly extend health care coverage to 32 million Americans.
According to a press release, Bailey’s starting salary is $66,146.
