Central Texas parents are concerned how a therapy program change could affect their children.
Superior Healthplan announced this week they are changing their therapy services provider.
According to their website, starting March 1, 2018, Care Options For Kids (COFK) will be Superior’s new provider for therapy and evaluations for speech, occupational, and physical therapy.
Patients can choose to continue going to their current therapists, but under Superior, they are required to go to COFK for evaluations and re-evaluations.
For Marcia and Jonathan Bayer, parents to four kids who receive therapy weekly, this change is concerning.
"As a parent, I feel like it takes away our power to be a parent. I feel like it takes away our kids choice in who their therapists are and who they have a relationship with and I just feel betrayed," Marcia Bayer said.
The Bayer family has 16 therapy sessions a week for their kids at home for speech and occupational therapy.
"They all are homeschooled and all have different varying medical needs from physical disabilities to cognitive disabilities," Bayer said.
Bayer is concerned if they don't opt out of the new regulations, their children will have a difficult time adjusting to new therapists and trusting them. They are especially concerned about their youngest daughter, Hannah, who has had multiple surgeries.
"You know for medically fragile children who have had multiple surgeries and have been in and out of the hospital their entire lives, they don't like being touched. Because so much when they are touched by a doctor ends in pain. and so a therapist touching them, stretching them, repositioning them, she will definitely regress I can guarantee it," Bayer said.
The Bayer family said they plan to opt out of the new therapy provider to keep their current therapists, but will still have to go to COFK for evaluations.
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