Children across North Carolina depend on Occupational Therapy (OT), Physical Therapy (PT), and Speech Therapy (ST) to walk, talk, eat, and thrive in daily occupations. These services are not optional — they are life-changing and life-sustaining.

On October 1, 2025, NC Medicaid cut reimbursement for pediatric ST, OT, and PT services by 3% by cutting rates for “Outpatient Specialized Therapy” 10 A.

This cut comes after:

• Nearly 20 years without a single rate increase
• A quadrupling of administrative burdens due to Medicaid managed care
• Increased education and licensure requirements for providers
• A skyrocketing cost of living for therapists across the state

This decision places an unbearable strain on therapy providers — and most importantly, it threatens children’s access to the care they need and deserve.

• In May 2025, more than 1.3 million children were enrolled in NC Medicaid (KFF Fact Sheet).
• A 2022 national study found that 20.5% to 24.2% of children enrolled in Medicaid receive occupational therapy (PMC Study).
• In North Carolina, hundreds of thousands of children depend on therapy services like OT, PT, and Speech every single year.

We, the undersigned, call on North Carolina Medicaid, DHHS, the NC General Assembly, and Governor Josh Stein to:

1) Immediately reverse the 3% rate cut to OT, PT, and ST services.

2) Work with providers and families to create fair, sustainable reimbursement rates that reflect the true cost of care.

3)Protect children’s access to life-saving and life-changing therapy services in North Carolina.

Pediatric Speech, Occupational and Physical Therapy matters. Children matter. North Carolina families matter.

💜 Join us in demanding action. Sign your name to show that OT, PT, and ST must be protected — not cut.

You can access more information about the impacts of rate cuts to pediatric therapy providers in our movement group at : Pediatric ST, OT PT Matter: Stop The 3% Cut