Lighthouse Counseling’s Dr. Tom Freeman Featured in State Affairs on Medicaid Changes Affecting Georgia Mental Health Care

Lighthouse Counseling owner and licensed psychologist Dr. Tom Freeman was recently featured in State Affairs Georgia as part of an in-depth report examining Medicaid reimbursement cuts and payment clawbacks affecting psychologists across the state.

The issue reaches far beyond reimbursement rates. For psychologists and the families they serve, these changes could directly affect access to psychological testing, behavioral health services, and other essential care.

According to the report, CareSource sought to recover approximately $3,000 in Medicaid payments from Lighthouse Counseling that had been issued 12 to 18 months earlier. When the practice could not immediately return the funds, the amount was withheld from subsequent reimbursement payments.

For Dr. Freeman, who has practiced as a licensed psychologist for 35 years, the concern is rooted in the realities of operating a mental health practice while continuing to serve patients who rely on Medicaid.

“We spent that money,” Freeman told State Affairs. “I paid my staff with it, I paid utilities. Then to come back and take that is pretty crappy.”

Why These Changes Matter for Patients

Psychological evaluations are often an important first step in identifying autism, learning disabilities, intellectual disorders, neurological conditions, trauma, and other behavioral or developmental concerns. The State Affairs report describes growing concern among Georgia psychologists that reduced reimbursement could make comprehensive testing financially unsustainable for some practices.

CareSource later notified psychologists that reimbursement rates would be reduced from 100% to 80%. Dr. Freeman joined several other psychologists in declining the reduced rate, after which their CareSource contracts were terminated.

The broader concern is access.

When reimbursement no longer supports the actual cost of providing specialized care, practices may be forced to reduce the number of Medicaid patients they can serve or leave an insurance network entirely. For families, particularly those already facing financial barriers, that can mean fewer available providers and longer distances or wait times for care.

Georgia officials are now reviewing whether changes in the provider network could eventually affect CareSource’s contractual requirements for access to care. State officials have said they are monitoring provider locations and network adequacy as the situation develops.

Advocating for Sustainable Access to Mental Health Care

At Lighthouse Counseling, our priority remains providing compassionate, professional care to individuals and families throughout our community.

Dr. Freeman’s participation in this conversation reflects a broader commitment to ensuring that mental health professionals can continue to provide the level of care their patients deserve.

Changes within the healthcare system can sometimes seem like discussions about contracts, reimbursement percentages, or administrative policies. But behind those numbers are real practices, clinicians, children, adults, and families who depend on access to mental health services.

Lighthouse Counseling will continue advocating for a system that supports both the people seeking care and the professionals working every day to provide it.

Read the full article: https://pro.stateaffairs.com/ga/health-care/georgia-medicaid-children-caresource-cuts?ref=AAAAAAAEJQMAAEsUAA