We appreciate the article describing the plight of early intervention providers and the children and families they serve who are experiencing devastating payment delays while the state Department of Health transitions to a state-managed payment claims process ("Medicaid payout headache," July 26). From a statewide perspective, the impact is even more distressing than described. Some of the most disturbing reports:
More than 40 percent of early intervention providers are reporting they have not received 80 percent or more of the claims they have submitted since April 1.
Providers are unable to pay their personal bills and are maxing out credit limits to support themselves.
Payments submitted to insurance companies for reimbursement prior to the state making payment could potentially be delayed for up to six months.
Unfortunately, many providers are not taking new children from the early intervention program due to lack of payment for services provided.
Although the Department of Health has a goal of saving $99 million over the next five years through this transition, we fear it will be accomplished by the flight of providers from the early intervention program. Our members, speech-language pathologists and audiologists, indicate that more than 50 percent of them are seeking employment outside of the early intervention program.
The early intervention program was designed to help children in need and to provide them the opportunity to be healthy and capable young adults, saving them and the state money. Now is not the time to abandon that mission.
Kim L. Tillery
President,
New York State Speech-Language-Hearing Association Latham