Georgia Lawmaker, Families Fight Medicaid Therapy Cuts for Foster Children

A dispute over reimbursement rate cuts for autism therapy for foster children in Georgia is intensifying at the state Capitol, with a Republican lawmaker and affected families urging Amerigroup to reverse a 30% reduction that took effect Sept. 1. Advocates warn that the cuts could lead to children losing significant developmental progress.

State Sen. Brian Strickland, R-McDonough, joined parents and providers on Thursday to protest the reduction in reimbursement rates for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, administered through Amerigroup, which manages Medicaid coverage for foster children in Georgia. Strickland, who has a child with autism, stated that the cuts are "indefensible."

"As a parent of a child with autism, I know what ABA therapy means for a family and Georgia's foster children, which is why I stood at the Capitol to make clear that these cuts are indefensible," Strickland told Fox News Digital. Strickland, a candidate for state attorney general, also vowed to hold companies accountable if elected.

The political opposition follows earlier reports that autism advocates feared the reimbursement reduction could force providers to stop treating foster children, potentially as an unintended consequence of federal efforts to combat Medicaid fraud. Taylor Sanders of the Autism Families Alliance told Fox News Digital that families and clinicians have become increasingly vocal since the cuts were implemented, emphasizing the critical nature of timely intervention for these children.

"Every moment where their child is not receiving services, we're seeing a regression in possible communication, safety skills," Sanders said. "Maybe we're seeing an increase in some of those challenging behaviors." Sanders had previously warned that up to 75% of clinics could close or cease serving foster children due to the financial impact of the rate reduction.

She recounted the distress of a mother whose 3-year-old child had begun using words for the first time after receiving ABA therapy, and who now fears losing access to treatment. The mother expressed concern that the interruption of consistent, one-on-one therapy could hinder the child's ability to maintain newly acquired communication skills across different environments.

Kelsey Bennett of the Autism Families Alliance urged for the cuts to be reversed, stating, "For these children and their families, time matters. Every day without critical care risks reversing hard-earned progress and limiting opportunities for continued development."

Advocates are calling for a reconsideration of the cuts and for greater involvement of families, clinicians, and other stakeholders in policy reviews, rather than a generalized approach.

Amerigroup issued a statement explaining that it rebalanced ABA reimbursement rates based on service complexity and clinical expertise. The company indicated that rates for treatment planning and caregiver-engagement services were increased, while rates for some technician-delivered services were decreased. Amerigroup also stated that rates for licensed clinicians did not decline and that medically necessary autism services continue to be covered.

In response to Amerigroup's statement, Sanders emphasized that the reductions specifically impacted technicians who deliver a significant portion of the one-on-one care. "Just because we put something down on paper doesn't mean that it's gonna be clinically effective or that these children are gonna be able to access care because companies are now having to maybe close their doors to these individuals because they can't afford the rate cut," Sanders said. She reiterated concerns about the long-term consequences of interrupted therapy, stating, "Progress lost is extremely hard to come back from, which is the biggest concern that we're facing here. Reconsider before ripping the rug from families. Start to involve the clinicians, involve families before making major cuts."

Fox News Digital has reached out to Amerigroup and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for additional comment.