SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) -Thousands of families across Georgia may lose federally-mandated therapy for their children after an insurance organization cut pediatric budgets.

Caresource, an insurance organization that helps fund clinics like Chatterbox Pediatric Therapy, is forcing clinics to accept a 20% cut or lose the funds altogether. Patients will be turned away from federally-mandated pediatric therapy as a result.

The therapy allows children who need help with everyday tasks like eating and speaking to receive treatment.

“Our most vulnerable children are the ones who are going to be the casualties of what they’re doing,” said Beth Fleming, owner of Chatterbox Pediatric Therapy.

Clinics refuse cuts, lose patients

Fleming said numerous clinics across Georgia have refused to accept the new cuts in funding. Her clinic holds 89 Caresource patients alone.

“All of our patients with Caresource will no longer be able to be seen by our clinic and those clinics will make up a third of our case load,” Fleming said.

One mother takes three children to Chatterbox for speech, occupational and feeding therapy. She said if she has to switch clinics, the waitlist to get in would likely take over a year.

Abby Kuzman, a pediatrician at Chatterbox, said missing two weeks drastically set back one of the children she helps.

“Months could be just a whole deviation and change in some of the routines that our kids rely on,” Kuzman said.

“Especially when it comes to pediatric feeding issues, you have to have someone who has the training, the knowledge and expertise to facilitate that treatment,” Fleming said.

Fleming and Chatterbox were given 90 days as a transition period to help their Caresource patients, but once that time is up, they’ll likely have to find a way to get insurance for treatment elsewhere.

You can find the full statement from Caresource below:

CareSource’s mission is to improve the health and well-being of our members by helping them access high-quality, affordable care, while responsibly managing the Medicaid resources entrusted to us by the state.

We recently notified certain providers in our network of adjustments to their reimbursement rates. These changes reflect national trends and are necessary to help ensure taxpayer dollars are used responsibly as healthcare costs intensify. CareSource values our provider partners and the important role they play in supporting individuals and families across Georgia. We are working directly with them to maintain a strong provider network and are confident in our ability to ensure members throughout Georgia have access to quality care.

Our members remain our top priority. If a provider leaves our network, impacted members can continue to see their existing provider during a transition period and will receive support to identify a new provider, ensuring continued access to the services they need.

Chatterbox Pediatric Therapy posted a Youtube video

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