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MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Florida (WFOR) — Parents on Medicaid said their children with autism and behavior disorders are losing crucial therapy hours in South Florida.
The parents blame state cuts and insurance changes that keep some specialists away from patients.
Betty Garcia said her son Marcos, 14, is hurting. Therapy that helped him make friends and control outbursts caused by Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has nearly disappeared, Garcia said.
Dozens of Miami-Dade County behavior therapy providers approved by the state for such services lost contracts with the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA). The agency oversees Medicaid’s low-cost health coverage for the state’s lowest-income families.
Six months ago, her son’s therapy was cut from 30 hours a week to 8.
“He came home from school and told me, ‘ Mom, sometimes I feel like I am invisible,” Garcia said.
Garcia quit her job as a pharmacy tech to help manage her son’s behavior.
“He’s asking me, Mom, why is my heart crying right now,” Betty Garcia said. “I remember I was in panic because that is a hard description.”
The impact is visible. Rainbow Behavior Therapy in Kendall is mostly an empty office. Owner Aliana Gurris said the state canceled the business’ contract to serve Medicaid clients with no explanation.
“Nothing (in the letter talks) about something (being) wrong, about any complaints, nothing,” Gurris said. “Then, that’s it. Finished. Stopped. (They) withheld the payment and that’s it.”
She is not alone — another clinic told CBS News Miami the same thing in June.
Attorney Henry Marines believes the issue is getting worse. Marines represents therapy providers accused of fraud.
“None of the cases I represented, not one, did (AHCA) find any wasteful abuse,” Marines said. “However, they delayed payment of these agencies, and these kids were left without services because money was not coming in to pay the technicians for services being rendered.”
Sunshine Health, which manages Medicaid insurance coverage for AHCA, also drew blame from Marines for service delays. In 2025, Sunshine Health issued a temporary pause on adding practitioners to make sure the state’s network providers are all credentialed.
CBS News Miami messaged Sunshine Health and AHCA for comment. Neither responded before the deadline for this story.
It hardly surprises Garcia. Her son is now being offered medication to replace the lost therapy.
“I prefer not to talk about that,” Garcia said.
Her family worries they may never get another option.
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