I get this question a dozen times a month: ‘Okay, GAPP sounds like what we need. What do I
actually do on Monday morning?’ Here’s the road map in plain language.
STEP ONE: Confirm your child has active Georgia Medicaid. This is the single most common
mistake — families try to start GAPP while their Medicaid application is still pending. If your
family’s income is too high for traditional Medicaid, ask about the Katie Beckett Deeming Waiver
— call the Centralized Katie Beckett Medicaid Team at 678-248-7449.
STEP TWO: Get the physician documentation lined up. Your child’s primary specialist or
pediatrician will need to complete the DMA-6A (level-of-care form), the DMA-80 (medical history
form), and a Physician’s Plan of Treatment. If your child has been in the NICU, the PICU, or any
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta unit, the discharge planning team can usually help coordinate
this.
STEP THREE: Choose a GAPP-approved nursing agency. You have the legal right to choose
any Medicaid-enrolled GAPP provider in Georgia, and you can switch agencies later if it isn’t the
right fit.
STEP FOUR: The agency submits prior authorization through Alliant Health Solutions. Standard
timeline is roughly 2–6 weeks once a complete packet is submitted.
STEP FIVE: Services start. A care coordinator visits your home. Schedules are built around
your family’s actual life — school, work, sibling routines.
A few honest cautions: applications get delayed most often by incomplete physician
documentation and by Medicaid lapses. Reauthorization happens periodically based on
continued medical need.
If you want a partner who has walked Metro Atlanta families through this start-to-finish,
that’s our specialty at Axess Health Solutions. Visit AxessHS.com or call us to talk
through where you are in the process.