Keystone Behavioral Pediatrics to close in July

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For more than 13 years, Keystone Behavioral Pediatrics served patients with behavioral and developmental therapies and their families. Unfortunately, Keystone plans to close the Southpoint practice effective July 26, because of increasing financial and administrative pressures during the past six months regarding reimbursement for care provided to Medicaid patients. Pressures to close include recent audits, changes in vendors, delays in credentialing and authorizations, and long stretches of non-payment of services. Keystone leadership decided it was impossible to continue to provide services. In short, AHCA has repeatedly failed to take corrective measures to ensure the long-term sustainability of Keystone, thus affecting its Medicaid families and Keystone’s operations. Therefore, Keystone will stop seeing Medicaid patients, effective June 21. Emergency services for Medicaid families will continue through July 26.

Palm Valley Child Development Center is a new facility and private co-op school located in Ponte Vedra Beach’s Palm Valley. The center is accepting new patients and students for fall, opening Aug. 5. Many previous Keystone staff will transfer employment to Palm Valley Child, which will offer outpatient, home, community and school-based services throughout North Florida. Keystone will provide a seamless transition of records and services to the new center.

 

     Keystone’s Medicaid families are urged to do the following:

1.)    Contact their case manager for a list of alternative providers in the area;

2.)    Make a request to the Keystone office to provide copies of their child’s medical records along with a completed Medical Records Release Form, which can be picked up when ready;

3.)    Know that in accordance with the law, further and required instructions for records will be released by Keystone to the Florida Times-Union after July 26.

 

Keystone founder, Katherine Falwell, and staff feel honored and privileged to have served Keystone patients and families. “We feel blessed that so many of you have entrusted your family’s care to us,” stated Dr. Falwell. “We realize change can be difficult and sincerely hope to make this transition as smooth as possible.”

            For information, call Lauren Haas at the Keystone office at (904) 619-6071. For information about Palm Valley Child Development Center, go to www.PalmValley Child.org.