Families, Providers Protest Lack of Payment for Early Intervention Services

ALBANY — Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Health Department came under sharp criticism Wednesday from therapists and parents who said the switchover to a new payment system for early intervention providers is a bureaucratic nightmare.
Independently employed providers of speech, occupational and physical therapy for children with Down Syndrome and other problems haven't been paid in four months, they said. They traced the problem back to Cuomo's budget passed in March, which put in place a new billing system to replace a county-run payment program.