Bringing your child home from the hospital.

Taking a medically fragile child home is a huge relief, and a lot of pressure. If your child needs skilled nursing, oxygen, a feeding tube, or a trach, you don't have to manage it alone. Here's how in-home nursing works after discharge in Georgia, who pays for it, and how to make the transition smooth.

Coming home doesn't mean doing it alone

When a medically complex or medically fragile child is discharged, families are often handed a lot at once, equipment, medications, follow-up appointments, and the responsibility for care that used to be handled by a whole hospital floor. In-home skilled nursing exists so your child can recover and thrive at home with professional support, RNs and LPNs who come to you.

Who pays for it: GAPP and Medicaid

In Georgia, the program that funds in-home nursing for medically fragile children is GAPP, the Georgia Pediatric Program. For children who qualify through Medicaid, GAPP nursing is typically covered at no out-of-pocket cost. If you're not sure your child qualifies, our 3-minute Path Finder maps it out privately, or read what GAPP is.

Been told you earn too much for Medicaid? Don't stop there. Katie Beckettignores parents' income and looks only at the child's medical needs, and it's a common door into Medicaid, and then GAPP.

Your discharge-to-home checklist

A few steps make the move home far smoother:

1
Ask about home nursing before discharge
Tell the discharge planner you want to explore in-home skilled nursing, the earlier the better.
2
Confirm your child's coverage
Medicaid unlocks GAPP nursing. If you're not on Medicaid yet, ask about Katie Beckett.
3
Gather the records
The recent physician note, medication and equipment list, and Medicaid or ID number help everything move faster.
4
Reach out to a provider
A GAPP provider like HeartPath handles the nursing paperwork and coordinates with your child's team.

We work with your hospital team

HeartPath coordinates with discharge planners, social workers, and your child's physicians so nothing falls through the cracks between the hospital and home. If your child is at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta or another Georgia pediatric hospital, we can begin planning the transition while your child is still admitted.

Tracheostomy & ventilator care
Feeding tube (G-tube) support
Oxygen & respiratory monitoring
Seizure monitoring & rescue meds

Start before discharge if you can

The best time to set up home nursing is beforeyour child leaves the hospital. Tell us about your child and we'll tell you exactly what's possible, no cost, no pressure.

Check eligibility

Questions parents ask

After-discharge questions

For medically fragile children who qualify through Georgia Medicaid, in-home skilled nursing is typically covered at no out-of-pocket cost through GAPP (the Georgia Pediatric Program). Eligibility is based on your child's documented medical needs, not a set diagnosis.

It depends on where your child is in the GAPP and Medicaid process. If your child is already on Medicaid, care can often be coordinated quickly. If Medicaid or GAPP isn't in place yet, we start those steps right away and handle the paperwork with you. The sooner you reach out, ideally before discharge, the smoother the transition.

You don't have to wait for one. Hospital discharge planners and case managers often refer families to home-care providers, but you can also contact HeartPath directly at any point. We'll coordinate with your child's medical team and the discharge planner as needed.

Yes. We regularly support families transitioning home from Atlanta's pediatric hospitals. We work alongside your child's discharge planning team to set up skilled nursing at home once GAPP and Medicaid are in place.

GAPP nursing supports children with ongoing skilled needs, tracheostomy and ventilator care, feeding-tube (G-tube) support, oxygen, seizure monitoring and rescue medication, complex medication administration, and other private-duty nursing, provided by RNs and LPNs in your home.

Very possibly. Georgia's Katie Beckett pathway looks only at the child's medical needs and ignores parents' income. It can open the door to Medicaid, and Medicaid is what unlocks GAPP nursing. Many families who assumed they earned too much do qualify this way.

Keep reading

What is GAPP?The program that pays for home nursing Told you make too much for Medicaid?How Katie Beckett opens the door Who GAPP is forThe needs that most often qualify

Eligibility for GAPP is determined by Georgia Medicaid based on your child's medical needs.

Let's Find Out If Your Child Qualifies.

It takes about a minute, and a caring member of our team will guide you from there.

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