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Told you earn too much for Medicaid? Maybe not.

Georgia's Katie Beckett pathway ignores parents' income completely. For a medically fragile child it can open Medicaid, and Medicaid is what unlocks GAPP nursing.

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The program most families are never told about

Your income does not countKatie Beckett, also called the Deeming Waiver or TEFRA, is the one Georgia pathway that ignores parents' income and assets entirely. Only the child's own income and assets are counted, and for most children that is nothing.

It is the door to GAPPKatie Beckett provides Medicaid, and Medicaid is what unlocks GAPP in-home nursing. For a family over the regular Medicaid limit, this is usually the route that makes in-home care possible.

Ask for it by nameThe most common mistake is applying for regular Medicaid, being denied on income, and stopping there. Request the Katie Beckett application specifically.

There is a $2,000 limit on the childSavings, investments or property titled to the child count against a $2,000 limit. An ABLE account can legally shelter those savings.

To be very clear about our role

HeartPath does not file Katie Beckett applications. That application is one your family submits to the state. What we can do is help you understand what it asks for and point you to the right people. Once your child is approved and Medicaid is active, we handle the GAPP nursing paperwork from there. Any agency telling you they will file Katie Beckett for you is describing something they cannot do.

Who it is for

Katie Beckett is for children who need the kind of care a hospital or nursing facility provides, but who can be cared for safely at home. A physician documents that need. Children who often qualify rely on:

A tracheostomy, ventilator or other breathing support
A feeding tube
Frequent skilled nursing: suctioning, medications, monitoring
Management of seizures or other complex ongoing conditions
Significant help with mobility, positioning and daily care

How to apply

Request the application by nameContact Georgia's Katie Beckett team on 678-248-7449, or use the DCH portal, and ask for the Katie Beckett or Deeming Waiver application specifically.
Gather physician documentationA detailed letter from your child's physician addressing each medical-necessity criterion. A subspecialist letter carries real weight. Your doctor also completes the DMA-6(A), a level-of-care statement and a cost-effectiveness form.
Submit and follow upSend the packet to the Katie Beckett team and track it. Call to confirm it arrived. We can walk you through what each form is asking for.
Once approved, call usWith Medicaid active, HeartPath submits the GAPP nursing paperwork and coordinates skilled care in your home.

Georgia Katie Beckett team: 678-248-7449. Ask for the application by name.

The honest trade-offs

Medicaid, but no cashKatie Beckett provides Medicaid coverage only. It does not include a monthly cash benefit the way SSI does.

It is a pediatric pathwayCoverage ends in the late teens, around 18 to 19. Start transition planning at 17, not at 18.

Documentation decides itApproval rests on a physician letter addressing each criterion. This is where applications are won and lost.

What conditions qualify for Katie Beckett?

It is based on the child's level of medical need, not a specific diagnosis. A child generally qualifies if they need an institutional level of care, the kind a hospital or nursing facility provides, that can instead be delivered safely at home. Technology-dependent children and children needing daily skilled nursing most often meet the standard. The physician's documentation is what actually decides.

What are the Katie Beckett income limits?

This is the part most families do not know: there is no parental income limit. Katie Beckett ignores parents' income entirely. It looks at the child's own income and assets, with a $2,000 asset limit on the child, and the child's medical needs. That is why higher-earning families can still qualify a medically fragile child.

Does HeartPath fill out the Katie Beckett application for us?

No. Your family files that one with the state. We help you understand what it is asking for, and we point you to the Katie Beckett team. Once your child is approved and Medicaid is active, we handle all the GAPP paperwork from there.

How long does Katie Beckett take?

It varies, and it is generally measured in months rather than weeks. The strongest thing you can do to shorten it is submit complete physician documentation the first time. Incomplete packets are the main cause of delay.

Ready when you are.

Tell us about your child and a real person will walk you through what comes next. No cost, no obligation.

Check eligibility Call 678-459-2590

Keep reading

HeartPath Home Care is an approved provider for the Georgia Pediatric Program. We are not a government agency, and this page is not an official publication of the Georgia Department of Community Health or Georgia Medicaid. It is a plain-language guide for families. Eligibility for GAPP, Medicaid and Katie Beckett is determined solely by Georgia Medicaid and the state agencies that administer them, based on your child's documented medical needs. Program rules and figures change.