In response to the 84th Legislative Session budget bill passed in June, regulators at the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) must reduce rates to Medicaid therapy services. By September 1, 2015 they must work toward trimming $150 million from Medicaid therapy spending via rate cuts. An additional $25 million in savings will be achieved through Medicaid policy changes such as coding, or billing, changes and medical necessity criteria.
There will be a public hearing on July 20th so that HHSC may collect comments on the proposed rates. HERE is a link to the meeting notice.
We NEED your help! All pediatric therapy providers, parents and family members of children with special needs who will be impacted by cuts to therapy services must attend the public hearing on July 20th and give comment. This will be the first time this cost containment rider will have had a public hearing, so it is urgent that the public, media and legislators know the impact of this rider and how these rate reductions will impact children with special needs and their families across the state. Please reach out to your legislative offices and invite their staff to attend as well! It is important that the hearing gets as much attention as possible.
