Illinois Late Medicaid payments force Easter Seals affiliate to drop older children | June 20, 2012

By Associated Press
June 20, 2012


VILLA PARK, Ill. (AP) — An Illinois Easter Seals affiliate plans to drop older children on Medicaid because of low payment rates and long delays in payments from the state.

Officials at Easter Seals DuPage and the Fox Valley Region say Medicaid clients 14 and older must find help elsewhere starting Sept. 1. By June next year, the agency will accept only Medicaid children younger than 8. The change affects about 90 children.

Easter Seals provides therapy to children with disabilities. No other Illinois affiliates are taking such drastic steps, but organization leaders say they must use private donations to make up the Medicaid shortfall.

Bobbi Schroeder of Aurora says she anticipates a long search for therapists who will help her 14-year-old son who has epilepsy. He will lose services Sept. 1, 2012.

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