Dozens of mental health professionals and social workers protested outside of the CareSource office building in downtown Dayton on Friday in response to the nonprofit’s recent decision to seek repayment from behavioral health providers going back to two years.
A page on their website dated Thursday, April 30, 2026, explains that CareSource identified they had inadvertently overpaid some providers and that “in alignment with our contracts, we are implementing the correct rates for all applicable behavioral health services,” in accordance with the Ohio Administrative Code for both past and for future claims.
Behavioral health providers protest attempted recoupment policy outside of CareSource headquarters.
On Friday, some providers were notified that the company was going to suspend the recoupments in response to feedback from the community. Future reimbursement claims would see the correct rate applied.
“They said that they are going to suspend the recoupments,” said Lynne M Routsong, founder and owner of Midwest Counseling Centers of Ohio. “However, you hope that they’re doing that in good faith and that they will stick with that, but I think there’s a lot of trust broken in that arena and so we just hope and pray that they’re true to the word.”
CareSource is the largest Medicaid provider in Ohio and one of the largest employers in Dayton.
CareSource said in a statement on Friday that after direct conversations with providers over the past several days, it decided to suspend the recoupment of those overpayments.
“The providers we spoke to shared that the recoupment would create significant financial strain and could impact access to care for members,” the statement says. “That feedback directly informed our decision and the individual providers impacted by this change will be notified.”
Future claims will be paid at the correct rate based on provider agreements, the statement said.
“As behavioral health costs continue to rise, CareSource is committed to working with Ohio’s healthcare community to advance a high-quality and sustainable behavioral healthcare system,” the statement says. “We look forward to collaborating with the state, providers and other healthcare partners to ensure access to critical services for Ohioans.”
Carrie Evans, a licensed independent chemical dependency counselor, has a private practice in Yellow Springs, was among the protesters on Friday afternoon.
“None of the information has been very transparent,” she said. “It’s been very back and forth. I want more answers about why their CEO makes $12 million a year for a nonprofit.”
State Rep. Karen Brownlee (D-Symmes Twp), a licensed independent social worker, spoke at the protest in favor of Senate Bill 162 and House Bill 780.
State Rep. Karen Brownlee (D-Symmes Twp.), a licensed independent social worker, spoke at the protest in favor of Senate Bill 162 and House Bill 780, known as the Medicaid Savings Act.
“We are still waiting on the fiscal note, but it would save between $500 million and $800 million a year,” Brownlee said. “Compared to these recoupments, they’re just a drop in the bucket. It’s maybe a few hundred thousand dollars when the inefficiencies are happening at the insurance provider level and nobody’s doing anything about it.”