Georgia Medicaid Katie Beckett (TEFRA) Pathway 2026: Eligibility Guide

Georgia administers the federal TEFRA option as the Katie Beckett Deeming Waiver. It lets children under 19 with significant disabilities qualify for Medicaid based only on the child's own income and resources, with parental income disregarded entirely. Families that earn far above standard Medicaid income limits can use it to bring a medically complex child home with full coverage.

How the Katie Beckett pathway began

Imagine a 3-year-old child on a ventilator in a hospital. Imagine she has been stable enough to come home for months, but cannot because her family cannot afford the home medical equipment, the private duty nursing, and the specialist visits without Medicaid. Imagine Medicaid covers her fully while she lives in the hospital, but the moment she comes home her parents' income makes the family ineligible. Imagine that staying in the hospital costs taxpayers far more than home care ever would.

This was Katie Beckett's situation in 1981. Her family lived in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She had viral encephalitis as an infant that left her ventilator-dependent. Medicaid paid for her hospital stay. The hospital was ready to discharge her, but federal Medicaid "deeming" rules counted her parents' income against her at home and not in the hospital. The family was effectively trapped.

The story was picked up by national media. President Reagan, in a televised press conference in November 1981, called the situation "ridiculous" and announced that he would direct Health and Human Services to find a way to bring Katie home. The administrative fix held her case but did not generalize. Congress then added section 134 to the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 (TEFRA), codified at 42 USC 1396a(e)(3), giving every state the option to extend Medicaid to disabled children at home using only the child's own resources, not the family's.

Today, more than four decades later, the TEFRA option (called the Katie Beckett pathway or Katie Beckett Medicaid Deeming Waiver in Georgia) provides Medicaid coverage to thousands of Georgia children with significant disabilities whose families would otherwise be over income. For these families it is transformative. It opens the door to EPSDT's unlimited medically necessary services, supplements private insurance gaps, and works alongside HCBS waivers to support medically complex children at home.

This guide is the canonical Georgia Katie Beckett playbook. It covers the federal authority, the five eligibility criteria, the institutional level of care determination, the Georgia DCH application process, qualifying conditions, how Katie Beckett interacts with EPSDT and private insurance and HCBS waivers, common denials and appeal strategies, and six worked examples. The intended reader is a parent or guardian of a Georgia child with significant disability, a clinician trying to support a family's application, or an advocate helping with an appeal.

Federal authority

42 USC 1396a(e)(3): the TEFRA option

The statute permits a state to elect to extend Medicaid to a child who:

1. Is under age 19
2. Would be Medicaid-eligible under the state plan if the child were in a hospital, nursing facility, or ICF/IID
3. Requires the level of care provided in such an institution
4. Can appropriately receive care at home rather than in the institution
5. The estimated cost of home care does not exceed the estimated cost of institutional care

When the state elects this option and all five criteria are met, the state must disregard the parents' income and resources in determining the child's Medicaid eligibility.

42 CFR 435.225

The implementing federal regulation for the TEFRA state plan option. It specifies the procedural requirements states must follow, including level-of-care standards, cost-effectiveness documentation, and periodic review requirements.

Why the option is called a "deeming waiver"

Standard Medicaid rules for children "deem" (attribute) parental income and resources to the child. The deeming rules are why, before TEFRA, a child living with parents was treated as if they had access to all family financial resources. TEFRA waives the deeming rules for qualifying disabled children. The phrase "deeming waiver" refers to this waiver of parental income deeming, not to a §1915(c) HCBS waiver.

Relationship to HCBS waivers

TEFRA is a state plan option. It is permanent (no enrollment cap) and is not a §1915(c) HCBS waiver. The differences matter:

• TEFRA (Katie Beckett): state plan amendment, no enrollment cap, no waitlist, opens Medicaid eligibility but does not add HCBS services beyond the standard Medicaid+EPSDT benefit package
• HCBS waivers: §1915(c) authority, enrollment cap, often with waitlist, provides additional services beyond standard Medicaid (case management, respite, environmental modifications, family caregiver supports, supported employment, etc.)

A child eligible for both can use TEFRA for Medicaid eligibility and the HCBS waiver for additional services.

Family Opportunity Act (FOA)

The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA) created an alternative Medicaid buy-in option for families of disabled children with incomes above standard limits. States can charge premiums. Contact Georgia DCH to confirm whether and how Georgia has implemented this option.

ACA section 2003 children's HCBS State Plan Option

The Affordable Care Act allowed states to offer HCBS through the state plan (without a §1915(c) waiver) for children with disabilities. Contact Georgia DCH to confirm current state plan elections for this option. Children also rely on TEFRA for eligibility and EPSDT plus separate HCBS waivers for service access.

The five eligibility criteria in detail

Criterion 1: under age 19

The child must be under age 19 at the time of application. Coverage continues until the day before the 19th birthday. Transition planning should begin no later than age 17 to ensure continuous coverage through one of the adult Medicaid pathways (SSI-Medicaid, ABD, Medically Needy spend-down, or HCBS waivers like NOW, COMP, ICWP).

Criterion 2: would be Medicaid-eligible if institutionalized

This requires that the child's OWN resources be within SSI resource limits for an individual and the child's OWN income meet SSI standards. For most children this is automatic. Children typically have no significant resources or income in their own name. If a child has a trust, an inheritance, or significant unearned income, that may affect eligibility.

Criterion 3: institutional level of care

This is the central technical determination and the most common source of denials. The child must require the level of care provided in:

• A hospital (typically inpatient acute or rehabilitation level)
• A nursing facility (skilled or intermediate)
• An ICF/IID (Intermediate Care Facility for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities)

Georgia uses a pediatric-adapted functional assessment instrument that measures:

• Activities of daily living (ADLs): bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, transferring, mobility
• Cognitive functioning
• Behavioral health needs
• Medical complexity (ventilator, tracheostomy, G-tube, TPN, IV medications, complex seizure protocols)
• Skilled nursing care needs (frequency and intensity)
• Risk of harm without supervision

Children typically qualify under one of three patterns:

ICF/IID-level: severe intellectual disability with self-injury or aggression; severe autism with non-verbal status and significant behavioral issues; severe IDD with seizures or medical complications.

Hospital-level: ventilator-dependent; TPN-dependent; frequent acute hospitalizations; severe immunodeficiency requiring isolation; pediatric cancers on intensive treatment.

NF-level: severe physical disabilities requiring 24-hour skilled supervision; complex medication regimens; advanced chronic disease.

Criterion 4: home care is appropriate

The state must determine that home is a clinically appropriate setting. This is rarely a barrier in practice. Federal law (Olmstead v. L.C.) and CMS policy strongly favor community-based care over institutional placement when appropriate. Issues that occasionally arise:

• No suitable caregiver available
• Home environment incompatible with medical needs (no reliable electricity for ventilator, etc.)
• Severe behavioral risk requiring institutional containment (rare)

If a denial cites inappropriate setting, the appeal strategy is to document the family's caregiving capacity, the home environment's adequacy, and contingency planning for caregiver illness.

Criterion 5: cost-effectiveness

The estimated annual cost of home care must not exceed the estimated annual cost of institutional care. Georgia calculates this using:

• Home-care annual cost: PDN hours plus therapy plus DME plus medications plus other Medicaid-paid services
• Institutional annual cost: the relevant institutional day rate multiplied by 365

Institutional costs are high in Georgia:

• Nursing facility average: roughly $95,000 per year
• ICF/IID average: roughly $220,000 per year
• Hospital (chronic): $400,000 or more per year

Home-care costs typically come in well below institutional benchmarks even for medically complex children, so cost-effectiveness is rarely a denial reason. When it is cited, the appeal strategy is to provide a detailed home-care cost projection comparing against the specific institutional alternative the child would otherwise need.

Categories of qualifying conditions

Below are the conditions that most commonly qualify a Georgia child for Katie Beckett. The condition by itself does not guarantee approval; the documentation must show institutional-level functional impairment.

Severe physical disabilities

• Cerebral palsy GMFCS IV or V (significant motor impairment)
• Spina bifida with paralysis or significant motor impairment
• Muscular dystrophy (Duchenne, Becker, and similar)
• Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA Type I or II)
• Severe traumatic brain injury
• Severe burn injury with long-term care needs

Medical complexity

• Ventilator dependence (continuous or nocturnal)
• Tracheostomy with skilled nursing needs
• G-tube or J-tube with complex feeding regimens
• Total parenteral nutrition (TPN)
• Complex seizure disorders requiring rescue medication protocols
• Immunodeficiency requiring frequent IV immunoglobulin
• Severe asthma with multiple ICU admissions
• End-stage organ disease (liver, kidney, heart) on home-based care
• Bone marrow transplant recipients during prolonged recovery

Severe intellectual and developmental disabilities

• Severe autism with significant self-injurious behavior or aggression
• Severe intellectual disability with aggression or elopement risk
• Combined sensory and cognitive impairments (deaf-blind with cognitive impairment)

Genetic syndromes with major medical involvement

• Down syndrome with complex congenital heart disease, severe sleep apnea, or major GI/seizure complications
• Trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome)
• Cri-du-chat syndrome
• Prader-Willi with severe behavioral issues
• Rett syndrome
• Williams syndrome with significant cardiac or cognitive needs
• Angelman syndrome

Pediatric cancers in active treatment

• Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) on intensive treatment
• Brain tumors with significant neurological deficits
• Solid tumors requiring complex surgical and chemotherapy treatment

Severe psychiatric conditions

Rarely qualifies because most psychiatric conditions do not require continuous hospital-level care. Some children qualify if they have multiple psychiatric hospitalizations per year with documented hospital-level functional impairment. For most psychiatric needs the better pathway is EPSDT-based behavioral health (Intensive Outpatient, Partial Hospitalization, Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility) without TEFRA.

The Georgia application process

Step 1: obtain the application packet

Application packets are available from:

• DCH directly at 1-866-211-0950
• DFCS county offices (1-877-423-4746)
• Many pediatric subspecialty clinics keep packets on hand

Step 2: pediatrician completes medical and functional assessment forms

This is the most important step. The pediatrician (and ideally relevant subspecialists) complete forms documenting:

• Specific medical diagnoses with ICD-10 codes
• Functional limitations across ADLs
• Medical complexity (equipment, medications, procedures, frequency)
• Skilled nursing care needs (frequency, intensity, duration)
• Behavioral and cognitive functioning
• Cumulative impact on the child's ability to function safely without institutional supervision

Subspecialist letters are critical for many conditions:

• Developmental pediatrician for autism, severe IDD, complex developmental delays
• Pediatric neurologist for seizure disorders, cerebral palsy, TBI
• Pediatric pulmonologist for vent-dependent, trach, severe asthma
• Pediatric oncologist for cancers in active treatment
• Pediatric cardiologist for complex congenital heart disease
• Pediatric GI for TPN, complex feeding
• Pediatric geneticist for genetic syndromes

Step 3: submit the application to DCH

Submit by mail, fax, or in some cases electronic upload to DCH's Katie Beckett review team. Include:

• Completed application form
• Pediatrician's medical/functional assessment
• All subspecialist letters
• Recent hospitalization records if applicable
• Therapy evaluations (PT, OT, ST)
• Educational records (IEP if relevant)

Step 4: DCH conducts level-of-care review

The Katie Beckett review team conducts an independent level-of-care review including:

• Medical chart review
• Possible in-home assessment by a nurse or social worker
• Functional assessment scoring
• Cost projection for home care versus institutional care

Step 5: determination

DCH issues a determination typically within 45 to 90 days. Approval results in Medicaid enrollment retroactive to the application date in most cases. If denied, DCH provides a notice with the reasons and the right to appeal.

Step 6: enrollment and annual recertification

If approved, the child is enrolled in one of Georgia Families' three current Care Management Organizations: Amerigroup Community Care, CareSource, or Peach State Health Plan. WellCare is no longer a separate Georgia Families Medicaid CMO; a 2024 reprocurement that proposed a different slate was in a bid-protest phase with no announced go-live date as of mid-2026, and the current three-CMO contracts were reported as extended through roughly June 30, 2027. Annual recertification requires updated medical documentation. Maintain the relationship with the pediatrician and keep the documentation current.

How Katie Beckett interacts with other programs

EPSDT (the most powerful interaction)

Once enrolled via Katie Beckett, the child is entitled to ALL medically necessary services under EPSDT (42 USC 1396d(r)). This is broader than adult Medicaid coverage and broader than typical private insurance. EPSDT requirements include:

• Unlimited medically necessary dental
• Unlimited medically necessary vision including eyeglasses
• Hearing aids and cochlear implants
• ABA therapy for autism at medically necessary hours
• Behavioral health including residential (PRTF)
• Home health and private duty nursing without arbitrary hour caps (per O.B. v. Norwood, 838 F.3d 837 (7th Cir 2016))
• Durable medical equipment including AAC devices, CGM, insulin pumps
• Therapy (PT, OT, ST) without arbitrary visit caps
• Non-emergency medical transportation

See our companion guide on Georgia Medicaid children and EPSDT for the full EPSDT framework.

Private insurance

For most Katie Beckett families, parents have private health insurance through employment. Medicaid serves as secondary payer. This is enormously valuable because private insurance typically:

• Caps PT/OT/ST visits (often 20 to 60 per year per discipline)
• Has high copays and deductibles
• May deny ABA hours beyond a moderate amount
• Limits hearing aids (often $1,000 to $2,500 lifetime cap)
• Limits DME annually or by lifetime

Medicaid as secondary picks up these gaps under EPSDT.

Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP)

ICWP is a §1915(c) HCBS waiver for adults and children with severe physical disabilities. Common co-eligibility with Katie Beckett for children with cerebral palsy, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injury. ICWP provides additional services (case management, environmental modifications, family support, respite, supported employment).

New Options Waiver (NOW) and Comprehensive Supports Waiver (COMP)

For children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Long waitlists in Georgia (typically multi-year). Children can use Katie Beckett for immediate Medicaid eligibility while waiting for NOW/COMP slot.

Georgia Pediatric Program (GAPP)

GAPP is a §1915(c) HCBS waiver specifically for medically complex children requiring private duty nursing. Frequently combined with Katie Beckett. Provides PDN, case management, family training, and respite for medically complex children.

SSI

Some Katie Beckett children also receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) cash benefits based on disability. SSI automatically confers Medicaid eligibility in Georgia. Families with low family income use SSI for both cash and Medicaid; higher-income families use Katie Beckett because their family income disqualifies SSI (which uses parental income deeming for children).

Children's Medical Services (CMS) at GA DPH

Georgia's Children's Medical Services program (separate from federal Medicaid) provides specialty clinical care for children with special health care needs. It is income-tested and limited in scope compared to Medicaid. CMS often operates in parallel with Katie Beckett.

Foster care and youth aging out

A disabled child in Georgia foster care already has full Medicaid through their foster-care status, so Katie Beckett is most relevant for children in their family home. When a former foster youth ages out, a separate protection continues their Medicaid to age 26 regardless of income; see Georgia Medicaid for foster care and youth aging out.

Six worked examples

Example 1: Emma, age 8, Marietta, spina bifida

Emma has spina bifida with L4-level paralysis, neurogenic bladder requiring multiple daily catheterizations, neurogenic bowel requiring a bowel program, significant scoliosis requiring bracing, and uses a wheelchair. Family income: $135,000 (over the MAGI children's limit of $44,562 for household of 4). Father has PPO through employer.

Katie Beckett application: pediatrician documented GMFCS IV mobility status, neurogenic bowel/bladder with multiple daily caths, scoliosis bracing requirements, ongoing OT and PT needs, urology and orthopedic specialty care. Pediatric urologist and orthopedist provided supporting letters. DCH approved at nursing facility level of care.

Coverage outcomes:

• Medicaid covered PT/OT visits beyond PPO's 20-per-year cap
• Replacement wheelchair every 3 years
• AFO braces and orthotics
• Catheterization supplies (no quantity caps under EPSDT)
• EPSDT dental beyond PPO routine coverage
• Private insurance pays primary for hospital, physician, surgery
• Medicaid pays secondary for unlimited therapy, DME, and EPSDT-required services

Example 2: Liam, age 4, Savannah, severe autism

Liam was diagnosed with autism at age 2. He is non-verbal with severe self-injurious behavior (head banging, biting hands). BCBA assessment recommended 40 hours per week of ABA. Family income: $95,000 (over MAGI limit). Father's HDHP caps ABA at 15 hours per week with $5,000 annual deductible.

Katie Beckett application: developmental pediatrician documented ICF/IID-level LOC based on severe self-injurious behavior, non-verbal status, 24-hour supervision required for safety, inability to participate in routine ADLs without prompting. Marcus Autism Center evaluation provided detailed BCBA assessment. DCH approved.

Coverage outcomes:

• Medicaid via Katie Beckett covers 40 hours per week of ABA under EPSDT
• Private insurance still pays primary for 15 hours per week
• Medicaid covers remaining 25 hours plus all BCBA supervision and parent training
• Speech therapy and occupational therapy without visit caps
• No deductible or copays through Medicaid

Example 3: Maya, age 12, Atlanta, Trisomy 18 ventilator-dependent

Maya was born with Trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome). Against expectations she has survived to age 12. She is ventilator-dependent (24/7), G-tube fed, has complex congenital heart disease, severe seizure disorder, and is non-verbal with severe cognitive impairment. Family income: $180,000. Mother stopped working to provide care 8 years ago.

Katie Beckett application: pediatric pulmonologist documented hospital-level LOC based on ventilator dependence, complex seizure disorder, recurrent aspiration pneumonia, and continuous skilled nursing needs. Pediatric cardiologist, neurologist, and GI specialist provided supporting letters. DCH approved.

Coverage outcomes:

• Medicaid via Katie Beckett + GAPP waiver
• 16 hours per day of private duty nursing (typical for ventilator-dependent children)
• All ventilator supplies, suction equipment, oxygen
• G-tube feeds and pump supplies
• All anti-epileptic and cardiac medications
• Quarterly subspecialist visits
• Private insurance pays primary for hospital admissions and physician services
• Combined coverage allows Maya to live at home rather than chronic hospital placement

Example 4: Noah, age 6, Augusta, Down syndrome with complications

Noah has Down syndrome with complex congenital heart disease (status post Tetralogy of Fallot repair), severe sleep apnea requiring BiPAP, infantile spasms now controlled but on ongoing medication, severe global developmental delay, and feeding difficulties requiring G-tube. Family income: $115,000.

Katie Beckett application: developmental pediatrician documented hospital-level LOC based on the combination of complex medical needs, BiPAP use, seizure protocol, G-tube feeds, and 24-hour supervision required. DCH approved.

Coverage outcomes:

• Medicaid via Katie Beckett with concurrent ICWP evaluation
• Pediatric cardiology, neurology, GI, developmental, sleep medicine all covered
• BiPAP supplies
• G-tube feeds and pump supplies
• PT, OT, and ST without visit caps
• Behavioral interventions for self-injury
• ICWP approved providing additional case management and family support services

Example 5: Sophia, age 14, Athens, pediatric leukemia

Sophia was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at age 13. She is in the intensive phase of treatment requiring frequent inpatient chemotherapy, home IV antibiotics during neutropenic episodes, and complex outpatient management. Family income: $145,000.

Katie Beckett application: pediatric oncologist documented hospital-level LOC during the intensive phase of treatment based on frequent admissions, central line care needs, neutropenic precautions, and complex medication management. DCH approved with 12-month review (with continuation contingent on ongoing treatment intensity).

Coverage outcomes:

• Medicaid as secondary to family's private insurance
• Covers copays and deductibles that had accumulated to over $25,000 in the first year
• All chemotherapy medications and supportive care drugs without prior authorization friction
• Home health visits for central line care
• NEMT for appointments
• Mental health counseling for Sophia and family
• Once Sophia completes intensive treatment and transitions to maintenance, the LOC review may not continue Katie Beckett, at which point family will transition Sophia to private insurance only or explore other Medicaid pathways

Example 6: Owen, age 10, Columbus, severe cerebral palsy

Owen has severe cerebral palsy (GMFCS V, completely dependent for mobility), cortical visual impairment, severe intellectual disability, intractable epilepsy, and dysphagia requiring G-tube. He uses a power wheelchair when supported. Family income: $125,000.

Katie Beckett application: pediatric neurologist and developmental pediatrician documented ICF/IID-level LOC based on total dependence for all ADLs, complex medical and medication needs, seizure protocol, G-tube feeds, and visual/cognitive impairment. DCH approved.

Coverage outcomes:

• Medicaid via Katie Beckett + GAPP waiver
• 8 hours per day of private duty nursing or skilled attendant care
• Power wheelchair with custom seating and tilt-recline
• All anti-epileptic medications
• G-tube feeds and pump
• PT, OT, ST, and vision therapy without caps
• ICWP approved providing additional respite, family support, and environmental modifications (ramp, accessible bathroom)
• Coordinates with school-based services under IDEA

15 common mistakes families and providers make

1. Not knowing Katie Beckett exists. Many families assume family income disqualifies their child and never apply.

2. Applying through DFCS for MAGI children's Medicaid and getting denied. Without specifying Katie Beckett (TEFRA option), DFCS evaluates only the standard MAGI children's pathway and denies based on family income. Always explicitly request a Katie Beckett application.

3. Submitting an application with a vague pediatrician letter. The application must specifically address each of the five eligibility criteria with detailed clinical findings. Generic letters lead to denials or delays.

4. Missing the institutional level of care documentation requirement. The documentation must show institutional-level functional impairment, not just that the child has a disability.

5. Failing to obtain subspecialist letters in addition to the primary pediatrician. For most conditions, a subspecialist letter strengthens the application substantially.

6. Confusing Katie Beckett (eligibility pathway) with HCBS waivers (service waiver). Katie Beckett is a state plan option providing Medicaid eligibility; HCBS waivers (ICWP, NOW, COMP, GAPP) provide additional services. They work together.

7. Not pursuing concurrent HCBS waiver evaluations after Katie Beckett approval. Many families miss the opportunity to layer ICWP or GAPP services on top of Medicaid coverage.

8. Believing the Family Opportunity Act buy-in is available in Georgia. It is not. Georgia did not adopt the FOA buy-in.

9. Not coordinating Medicaid with existing private insurance. Medicaid serves as secondary payer and dramatically expands coverage beyond private insurance caps.

10. Missing the annual recertification deadline. Failure to recertify can cause a coverage gap. Set calendar reminders.

11. Not appealing denials. Katie Beckett denials are reversible with additional documentation. Many families accept denials that would be overturned on appeal.

12. Failing to plan for the 19-year-old transition. Katie Beckett ends at 19. Begin transition planning at 17 to maintain continuous coverage through SSI-Medicaid, ABD, Medically Needy, or HCBS waivers.

13. Not exploring Children's Medical Services state-funded supplemental coverage. CMS at the Department of Public Health provides specialty clinical care that supplements Medicaid.

14. Failing to use EPSDT entitlements after enrollment. After Katie Beckett approval the child has the right to ALL medically necessary services under EPSDT. Many families do not realize the breadth of this entitlement.

15. Not requesting Non-Emergency Medical Transportation. NEMT covers transportation to specialty appointments and is underutilized.

Putting it together: how to actually access Katie Beckett

1. Identify whether your child likely meets institutional LOC. Talk to the pediatrician. If the child has significant medical complexity, severe physical disability, severe IDD, or a major chronic illness requiring intensive ongoing care, the answer is likely yes.

2. Obtain the application packet from DCH (1-866-211-0950).

3. Work with the pediatrician and any subspecialists to complete thorough medical and functional assessment documentation. Each of the five eligibility criteria should be specifically addressed.

4. Submit the complete packet to DCH.

5. Wait 45 to 90 days for determination. Follow up with DCH if you have not heard back.

6. If approved, enroll in a CMO and begin accessing EPSDT services. Coordinate with your private insurance to make Medicaid the secondary payer.

7. Pursue concurrent HCBS waiver evaluations (ICWP, NOW, COMP, GAPP as appropriate to your child's profile) for additional services.

8. Recertify annually with updated documentation.

9. If denied, appeal. Request internal reconsideration with additional documentation; if still denied, request a State Fair Hearing within 30 days.

Frequently asked questions

What Brevy is tracking

We at brevy.com maintain a state-by-state map of Katie Beckett and TEFRA implementation including documentation patterns that succeed, common denial reasons, and the federal case law (Olmstead v. L.C., O.B. v. Norwood, Rosie D. v. Romney) that supports families fighting denials. Georgia's program is administratively reasonable but documentation-intensive. We coordinate with pediatric advocacy organizations and clinicians across Georgia to update this guide as DCH policy changes and as federal CMS guidance evolves.

Katie Beckett is one of the most important and underutilized Medicaid pathways in America. It exists because Katie Beckett's family told the country in 1981 that the Medicaid deeming rules trapped families and harmed children. More than four decades later it continues to fulfill its purpose: bringing medically complex and disabled children home from institutions and giving them the comprehensive Medicaid coverage they need to thrive.

Where to get help

Learn More

• Georgia Medicaid Children and EPSDT
• Georgia Medicaid Eligibility and Income Limits
• Georgia ICWP Waiver
• Georgia NOW and COMP Waivers
• Georgia Medicaid Home Health Coverage
• Georgia Medicaid Overview

Find personalized help navigating the Georgia Katie Beckett pathway at brevy.com.

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.