Last week OHCA gave us notice that there may be some policy changes that could deeply effect our efforts of helping the population that we help. You can read the full policy changes here...
https://www.okhca.org/xPolicyChange.aspx?id=18493&blogid=68505
Basically, this says that any licensed therapist who works at a private practice will not be able to bill SoonerCare (Medicaid, government funded insurance). Which means Family Hope House will not be able to serve the population that we have diligently sought out to serve. Roughly 70% of our clients use SoonerCare as their insurance. In 2015 alone we had nearly 4300 sessions that were billable by SoonerCare. If we lost the ability to bill SoonerCare then 100s of children and their families will lose their therapist that they have grown to trust, and the support they have learned to rely upon.
As devastating as this is for Family Hope House and our clients, unfortunately we are not the only ones who will be effected by this policy change. This will effect 100s of other clinicians and 100s of other children and their families throughout Oklahoma. The worst part, is that a lot of these children who will be effected are in foster care. In order for foster families to gain the support that is necessary, they need professionals who have specialized training in this area. If private practices can no longer bill SoonerCare than it forces these families to seek services from agencies. In my personal experience with working at agencies, I have learned they are not able to help this population as well as someone could in private practice. It is also very common for FHHs clients to have already sought services from 2 or 3 different agencies before they find help from us. We have numerous clients that have told us they will not go back to the agencies for services because they do not believe they can help them the way we have helped. Sadly, it appears that OHCA is counting on people who receive services from private practice to discontinue services altogether so their budget cut will be successful. More information on that topic can be read here...
http://okamft.org/proposed-soonercare-changes/
This policy change would be tragic.
If this infuriates you like it does me, then please act. Here is what you can do...
Inform your churches, your friends, your social media sites.
You can donate a tax deductible donation to FHH. If this policy change passes then we will be in desperate need of funding. If we receive enough private funding then we will be able to keep our clients and the children will not have yet another loss in their lives.
Click this link to Donate through our Facebook page and PayPal account
https://www.facebook.com/FamilyHopeHouse/app/208195102528120/
FHH will obviously be making numerous budget cuts and it would be a complete blessing if there was a church or an abandoned building that we could move into for free or very cheap so we can continue to provide therapy without worrying about high rental costs.
·
Attend
the forums and voice your opinion
o The
Medical Advisory Committee (who will be casting the first vote) will be meeting
1/21/16 at 1:00 p.m. to hear community opinions regarding this change and each
individual who signs up upon arrival will be given two minutes to voice their
opinion at this meeting
§
This meeting will be held at 4345 N. Lincoln
Blvd Oklahoma City, OK
o The
OHCA Board (who will be casting the second vote) will be meeting on 2/11/16 for
community members to voice their opinions
§
Follow Family Hope House’s Facebook page for
details to be announced
·
Contact
your Oklahoma state representative and senator
Your district’s congressmen can be located at http://www.oklegislature.gov/findmylegislature.aspx by entering your city and zip code. Please call or email your senator and representative and let your opinion be heard.
Finally, pray hard. Pray that the voices that our fighting for these children will be heard. Pray specifically for the foster children who will be deeply effected if this policy change occurs.
James 1:27 says, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this; to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
More posts that you can read on this topic are listed here:
Thanks for reading friends. -Kori