Texas Medicaid is Failing Children with Disabilities

Nov. 2017 - Medicaid services for Texas children with some of the severest disabilities have sharply declined over the past few years after state leaders enacted several measures to cut costs.

One of the biggest blows, according to advocates and parents, happened nearly a year ago when the state turned over Medicaid services for children with disabilities to private companies and hospitals called managed care organizations — part of a multiyear transition for the state’s Medicaid programs to managed care that has saved the state billions of dollars. Hundreds of children with disabilities have seen a reduction in medical services, including longer waits for prescription drugs, fewer therapy services and being kicked out of Medicaid altogether.

Between February and May, 12 percent of children with the severest disabilities were denied Medicaid services, triple the overall rate of 2016, according to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.

very detailed Article by Julie Chan for My Statesman.

Read the full story HERE on MyStatesman.com to find out how families of children with disabilities are coping with Medicaid cuts.