04/30/2026
URGENT! Are you a Speech Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Physical Therapist, BCBA, or RBT? Or does your child receive Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, or ABA Therapy?
If yes, this change will affect you!!!!
Care Management Organizations (CMOs) under Georgia Medicaid are reducing rates by 20% in May 2026!!!
Speech, Occupational, Physical and ABA therapists will be forced to accept an unsustainable 20% pay reduction or leave the CareSource and Peach State network.
This will significantly reduce access to care for children when these vital therapists feel forced out by CareSource and Peach State!
ACT NOW! If you are an SLP in Georgia, PLEASE GO TO THIS LINK AND PROVIDE YOUR NAME AND ASHA NUMBER TO JOIN IN THE FIGHT! https://ashaa.quorum.us/campaign/gamedicaid0426/
Urge Department of Community Health Commissioner Dr. Dean Burke to tell the CMOs to follow the Georgia Medicaid fee schedule without deviation. Providers cannot sustain a 20% cut to rates, and Georgia’s children cannot wait for vital Speech, Occupational, Physical, and ABA services.
Two of the CMOs for Georgia Medicaid, Peach State and CareSource, are no longer paying the Medicaid fee schedule rates and have cut provider payments by 20%. With little room to negotiate, providers are facing a horrible choice — be paid less than they were paid more than 20 years ago or limit patient access to care by limiting or leaving their networks.
CareSource and Peach State are using faulty network data to suggest that they have enough providers in network. However, advocates have reviewed the network and know it falls far short of current local providers. Without enough providers, children will not get the care they need!! Children who receive therapy services rely on consistent, ongoing care to make progress.
Reductions in reimbursement or increased barriers can lead to:
• Fewer available providers
• Delays in services
• Interrupted progress
• Increased stress for families
• Decrease in frequency and duration of services
• Reduced access to Speech, Occupational, Physical, and ABA therapy services
YOUR VOICE MATTERS & CAN MAKE A REAL IMPACT. WE ARE ASKING FOR YOUR HELP IN ADVOCATING FOR CHILDREN & FAMILIES. WE ARE STRONGER WITH MORE VOICES SPEAKING AGAINST THIS CONTRACT AMMENDMENT!
We encourage you to contact the following Georgia legislators:
• Russ Goodman, GA Senator (russ.goodman@senate.ga.gov, P: 404-463-1318 (capitol), P: 912-218-0447 (district)
• John LaHood, GA Representative (john.lahood@house.ga.gov, P: 404-656-5105 (capitol) or 404-656-3947 (capitol)
• Matt Hatchett, GA legislator especially important for Medicaid oversight and funding decisions (matt.hatchett@house.ga.gov)
• Butch Parrish, GA legislator especially important for Medicaid oversight and funding decisions (butch.parrish@house.ga.gov)
• Blake Tillery, GA legislator especially important for Medicaid oversight and funding decisions (blake.tillery@senate.ga.gov)
We also encourage you to contact the Georgia Department of Community Health Constituent Services to voice a concern or complaint —constituentservices@dch.ga.gov or 404-656-4496.
Please share how these changes will negatively impact your child, your family, or your work as a therapist.
For Patients, here is the Peachstate Website for filing a grievance...
You can do so over the phone, or by written & faxed letter:
https://www.pshpgeorgia.com/members/medicaid/resources/complaints-appeals/filing-grievance.html
Here is the Caresource Website for filing a grievance...You can do so over the phone, on your portal, or by written & faxed letter:
https://www.caresource.com/ga/members/tools-resources/grievance-appeal/file-grievance/medicaid/
