Georgia Pediatric Program (GAPP) is a program funded by the state of Georgia and run by the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) to provide specialized home care to children under the age of 21 years. This program is specifically designed to meet the needs of medically fragile kids for free.
Not all participants are eligible for the GAPP waiver program, the child and the family have to meet certain eligibility requirements to qualify for skilled home care. Since this program offers the best possible home care, parents can relax as their child is properly looked after.
What is the GAPP Program?
This Medicaid program offers high-quality, nursing care to children suffering from acute conditions or having special needs. The services provided are tailored to match the specific needs of each patient. Eligible families and children can apply for the GAPP waiver program at any time to benefit from the free or at-no-cost services.
Moreover, it offers several waiver programs including Katie Beckett Waiver or Deeming Waiver. This category is for medically fragile children under 18 years of age. The eligibility for services is decided on the basis of the child’s needs instead of the parent’s income.
In-Home Care Services Offered Under GAPP
This program is specifically designed for children needing long-term or short-term in-home skilled nursing and personal care.
- Assist parents and children with daily activities like bathing, feeding, and housekeeping
- Checking and monitoring blood pressure, respiration, pulse, and temperature
- Assist parents with the transfers and ambulation
- Intravenous (IV) therapies
- Wound care, post-surgical care, medication
- And many others
Eligibility Criteria
- The child requiring skilled home care and monitoring is under 21 years of age;
- The child is medically fragile and in need of skilled nursing care and personal care at home;
- They are currently receiving physician-approved services.
After applying for the GAPP program, it takes about 30 days for the officials to make a decision and notify parents. If the application is denied, there is an option to appeal the decision.
Appealing GAPP’s Decision
Once you have received a letter stating GAPP’s decision to deny the application, you have the right to appeal within a specific time period. The clock starts ticking from the date you received the letter.
First off, write a compelling appeal letter explaining your child’s special needs. It also states that the child is eligible for receiving skilled nursing and personal care support.
Request the child’s doctor to assist you in making the case for the appeal by providing additional documents, clinical notes, and a letter to support your argument.
Once you have gathered all the relevant paperwork, submit the appeal to the GAPP’s decision. Make sure you meet the deadline when challenging the decision, otherwise, the appeal would not be accepted.
Do not forget to mail written correspondence from doctors, hospital staff, and other documents together with the application. After receiving the application for appeal, GAPP will inform you about the decision within a month or so.