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Now is the time to make calls to our State Representatives and State Senators to support the House version of the supplemental budget, HB 2, and next Texas budget, SB 1. The House version of the supplemental budget contains partial rate restorations and repeals the policy directives for the Medicaid acute care therapy program as mandated by Rider 50 from the 2015 Texas legislative session.

Call to support Medicaid therapy and the repeal of policy changes! Simply input your address, call the phone numbers provided, and follow the talking points. 

As Texas Health & Human Services (HHS) proceeds forward with therapy policy changes to a 15 minute increment and rate reductions via a hearing on May 24th, our best chance to roll back their directive from Rider 50 is to pass the House version of the supplemental budget. State legislators are extremely busy right now - it is our job to let them know that HHS is moving forward with assaults to therapy, despite being in the midst of a legislative session, despite ongoing discussions by state legislators to find an alternative solution to severe cuts, despite agency closures, and despite a documented lack of access.

Rider 50 required HHS to consider access to care when implementing rate reductions and policy changes. Thousands of children are currently on waiting lists for therapy across Texas and therapy providers are closing or discontinuing therapy services. Please engage your therapists and families in this effort to express the devastation that will occur if these changes are allowed to proceed forward.

Your grassroots advocacy has paid off - leaders in the Texas House included Medicaid therapy in the supplemental and 2018-2019 budgets. Please call to support the efforts of the Texas House to repeal the therapy policy changes in the supplemental budget and to fund therapy services in the next biennium budget! 
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