- Sep 14, 2011
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... in their own way ...
Republicans Are Quietly Eliminating Health Care For Disabled Children
More than a year after lawmakers originally ordered it, Texas announced Monday it will enact significant cuts to the money that it pays therapists who treat vulnerable children with disabilities in two weeks.
A group of concerned Texans last year filed a lawsuit seeking to block the $350 million cut to Medicaid, the federal-state insurance program for the poor and disabled, from taking effect. That group included speech, physical and occupational therapy providers and the families of children who receive their service. They argued that the cuts were so steep that providers would have to close their businesses and forgo seeing as many as 60,000 children.
In September, the Texas Supreme Court declined to hear their case, upholding a lower court’s ruling that the lawsuit lacked standing.
The commission and several health insurers with state contracts have spent the last year arguing that the cuts will not cause children to lose access to services. State officials point to a state-commissioned study that found in-home therapy providers were overpaid by Medicaid when compared to other public insurance programs.
But Stephanie Rubin, chief executive of the advocacy group Texans Care for Children, said in an e-mailed statement that schools will now have more students who will struggle in classrooms and need expensive special education services.
“This is terrible news for Texas kids with disabilities and developmental delays and their families,” Rubin said. “Kids with autism, speech delays, Down syndrome, and other disabilities and delays rely on these therapies to learn to walk, communicate with their families, get ready for school, and meet other goals.”
and
Texas moves forward with cuts of therapy services for disabled children
If only these kids were fetuses. THEN the RWNJs would care.
Republicans Are Quietly Eliminating Health Care For Disabled Children
More than a year after lawmakers originally ordered it, Texas announced Monday it will enact significant cuts to the money that it pays therapists who treat vulnerable children with disabilities in two weeks.
A group of concerned Texans last year filed a lawsuit seeking to block the $350 million cut to Medicaid, the federal-state insurance program for the poor and disabled, from taking effect. That group included speech, physical and occupational therapy providers and the families of children who receive their service. They argued that the cuts were so steep that providers would have to close their businesses and forgo seeing as many as 60,000 children.
In September, the Texas Supreme Court declined to hear their case, upholding a lower court’s ruling that the lawsuit lacked standing.
The commission and several health insurers with state contracts have spent the last year arguing that the cuts will not cause children to lose access to services. State officials point to a state-commissioned study that found in-home therapy providers were overpaid by Medicaid when compared to other public insurance programs.
But Stephanie Rubin, chief executive of the advocacy group Texans Care for Children, said in an e-mailed statement that schools will now have more students who will struggle in classrooms and need expensive special education services.
“This is terrible news for Texas kids with disabilities and developmental delays and their families,” Rubin said. “Kids with autism, speech delays, Down syndrome, and other disabilities and delays rely on these therapies to learn to walk, communicate with their families, get ready for school, and meet other goals.”
and
Texas moves forward with cuts of therapy services for disabled children
If only these kids were fetuses. THEN the RWNJs would care.
