Medicaid cuts to child therapists allowed by Texas Supreme Court

The Texas Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit concerning the legality of cutting $350 million in Medicaid funding for child therapists, allowing the cuts to pass, The Texas Tribune reports.

The decision comes more than a year after Texas legislators called for the cuts. The lawsuit, filed by concerned therapists and affected families, was found insufficient in a lower court. That decision will be held, allowing officials to begin cutting Medicaid payments.

Payments to in-home therapists could decrease by up to 25 percent, according to the report.  

Texas speech, physical and occupational therapists said the cuts would force them to shut down and stop providing services for up to 60,000 children. State-contracted health insurers and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission argued the therapists were overpaid by Medicaid and the cuts would not affect care access for children.  

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