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Early intervention providers say new EI hub, low rates have pushed New York to bottom nationally
Summary
Therapy providers, counties and advocates told lawmakers the state's Early Intervention (EI) system is failing: multi-year rate freezes, a botched software rollout and blocked federal approvals have created long waitlists and cancelled services for infants and toddlers with delays.
Advocates, providers and county public-health directors said the statewide Early Intervention (EI) system is failing, leaving thousands of infants and toddlers without therapy. Witnesses described a combination of long-term underfunding, a troubled new EI data platform (the 'EI hub') and delayed federal approvals that have created multi-month and multi-year waits for evaluations and services.
Lede: Families with young children who need physical, occupational or speech therapy are facing long waits and disrupted services after the state's EI rate policies, staffing shortages and a problematic software rollout left many providers unable to accept new patients.
Nut Graf: New Yorkers heard testimony that 50% of eligible children did not get their full complement of services in the most recent state audit, that thousands are waiting for evaluations, and that the Department of Health's new EI-Hub software has triggered claims rejections and payment delays. Providers said current Medicaid rates are decades out of date, contributing to workforce exits and a collapse in capacity.
What witnesses said: Agencies for Children's Therapy (ACTS), the New York State Association for Behavior Analysis, independent living centers and county health departments reported large service gaps. ACTS, which operates many EI programs, told the committee that New York ranks at or near the bottom of states for timely EI access and that hundreds of providers have left the sector because Medicaid rates have not kept up with inflation.
Why it matters: Early intervention services in the first years of life materially improve developmental outcomes and reduce special-education costs later. Witnesses said delayed services increase long-term costs for school systems and families.
Key causes identified by witnesses: - Stagnant rates: EI providers said reimbursement has not kept pace with inflation (they cited decades of cuts and freezes) and that a recent 5% increase has not been paid to many agencies because of federal state-plan amendment timing. - EI hub rollout: Providers and counties described software defects and a rollout that rejected claims, delayed payments and required providers to make multiple corrections; county staff said the system missed referrals and created backlog. - Federal approvals: Speakers said state-plan amendments and federal approvals needed to release lump-sum hospital and EI payments were delayed, slowing reimbursements.
What providers asked for: Witnesses urged the Legislature to adopt EI rate reform language (bills introduced by Senator Rivera and Assemblymember Pollan), to fully fund the 5% increase and the rural modifier where applicable, and to commission a comprehensive review of the EI delivery model so the system can scale up in workforce and payments.
Ending: Legislators pressed DOH for clearer timelines and for written documentation on state plan amendment approvals and release schedules. Providers urged immediate fixes for the EI hub and prompt release of owed payments so families waiting for early services are not left behind.
