The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services approved Georgia's amendments to its New Options Waiver (NOW) and Comprehensive Supports Waiver (COMP), clearing the way for Medicaid rate increases for I/DD providers retroactive to July 1, 2024, the state Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) and Department of Community Health announced on July 11, 2024.
What the increase meant for pay
The agencies called the increases historic and said more details on carrying them out would follow. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported in August 2024 that DSPs in these programs were paid an average of $10.63 an hour through Medicaid, and that the average rate would rise to $16.70 an hour, though organizations could pay above or below that. The paper said the change would also let organizations offer benefits such as paid leave.
Why this mattered for providers and DSPs
At an average of $10.63 an hour, Medicaid-funded DSP pay made it hard for Georgia's provider agencies to hire and keep staff. A rate model built on $16.70 does not require agencies to pay that amount, so the real test was how much of the increase reached paychecks. For NOW and COMP providers, the retroactive start date meant back payments for claims from July.