A McGuireWoods litigation team won an important legal victory in their fight to preserve vital healthcare funding for 21 autistic children and their families in North Carolina, persuading a state court to block a steep cut in Medicaid reimbursement rates for essential therapy.
Because of a state budget impasse, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services cut Medicaid reimbursement rates by 10% for applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy, effective Oct. 1, 2025. On behalf of the children and their families, McGuireWoods filed a lawsuit challenging the cuts, arguing that the reductions are unconstitutional and discriminatory because they disproportionately impact children with disabilities.
A Wake County Superior Court judge issued a preliminary injunction on Nov. 10, 2025, halting the funding cuts while litigation continues. A week earlier, McGuireWoods secured a temporary restraining order that ensured uninterrupted access to ABA therapy while the court considered the firm’s request for further relief.
The McGuireWoods legal team includes Raleigh partners Michael F. Easley Jr., Mark Anderson, Jonathan Y. Ellis and Ryan Park, and associates H. Brent McKnight Jr. and Hannah K. Caison. Their advocacy underscores the firm’s commitment to protecting the rights of vulnerable populations and ensuring access to critical healthcare services.
“We are proud to stand with North Carolina families and fight for the rights of children with autism to ensure they receive the care they need,” said Easley. “This injunction is a key step to ensure essential therapy remains accessible while the legal process unfolds. This was a great effort by an outstanding McGuireWoods litigation team.”
The McGuireWoods team continues to advocate for the restoration of full Medicaid funding for ABA therapy and the protection of children’s rights under the law, Easley added.
McGuireWoods assembled a top-tier litigation team to advocate for the children and their families. Easley served as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina before rejoining McGuireWoods in March 2025. Ellis, co-leader of the firm’s Appeals & Issues Practice Group, is a former Assistant to the Solicitor General in the Department of Justice and former law clerk to Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts Jr. Park served as North Carolina’s Solicitor General and was a law clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justices David H. Souter and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Anderson, who leads the firm’s national trials team, has been inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and the American Board of Trial Advocates.
McGuireWoods is a leader in healthcare litigation and enforcement, handling disputes in state and federal courts, regulatory agencies, and mediations and arbitrations nationwide. The team includes attorneys from the firm’s nationally recognized Government Investigations & White Collar Litigation Practice Group and its Chambers-ranked healthcare practices.