INDIANAPOLIS — With just days left to give feedback on proposed cuts, families of children with autism are sounding the alarm. They say these cuts could decrease access to life-changing care called “Applied Behavioral Analysis.”
Last week, the Family and Social Service Administration announced a proposed standard Medicaid reimbursement rate for ABA therapy statewide. Providers say it's a cut from $100 an hour to about $55 an hour.
“It affects everyone, not just our families,” said Jennifer Terrell, whose 4-year-old granddaughter has autism and is nonverbal.
Terrell was one of the dozens of families who protested Thursday outside of the governor’s residence on Meridian Street.
She said ABA therapy has allowed her granddaughter to thrive.
“It has been amazing. She can now communicate with us. Before, she was unable to communicate in any way,” Terrell said.
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The state says it needs to set a standard to control rising costs with ABA therapy, but families fear such a big cut could put clinics out of business with many kids still on waitlists.
“We fought so hard for our daughter to be diagnosed, and we just finally got to get the benefits of that, and to have that taken away would be detrimental,” Rachel Short said.
Her daughter, who is now 7, just started ABA therapy last month. Short is also a registered behavioral therapist who works with several families in central Indiana.
“All the kids that I work with on a daily basis, I would hate to see what would happen to their families if they were to lose the care they so desperately need,” Short said.
However, the FSSA says it’s not sustainable, which is something the governor agreed with on Tuesday.
"Slow is I think not fair for anyone," Gov. Eric Holcomb said. "This has been going on for months and will continue to for months, and so we'll make sure we get it right. It is absolutely appropriate, and I would say long overdue, that we have some standards set."
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But advocates say it’s about finding the correct standards that don’t put kids at risk.
“It’s the everyday miracles that we are able to provide for families, and we want the ability to continue to provide those services,” said Sarah Winningham, a regional director with Step Ahead ABA therapy.
The FSSA says it will present a plan to the state budget committee by October and implement new Medicaid reimbursement rates by January.
To share your feedback, you can email INabatherapy@mslc.com.
To learn more about the proposal, click here.