How an insurance plan for foster kids threatened an 8-year-old's cancer care - CBS News

## Summary
Her mother, Britany Super, described it as Ollie's "last option." But in early March, Super recalled, UNC Health's financial office told them the bad news: The state's new insurance for kids in foster care wasn't going to pay for the treatment. That insurance, known as a specialized managed care plan, is part of Medicaid, the federal-state program that covers health costs for people with low incomes or disabilities. But foster families quickly began hearing that their health care providers were not taking the insurance, according to several families who recounted their experiences fighting to get their children's procedures covered under the plan. UNC Health, a state-run health system that is one of the largest care providers in North Carolina , with nearly 4,400 physicians, would not sign on to the state's plan initially, which is why it told Super that Ollie's CAR T-cell treatment wouldn't be covered.

## Article Content
Ollie Super has moved in and out of cancer treatment since she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma as a toddler in foster care. Now 8, the second grader is dealing with it again. Her cancer came back late last year.
Ollie's parents, who adopted her in 2020, tried to sign her up for a clinical trial using
CAR T-cell therapy
— which genetically reprograms a patient's white blood cells to help them fight cancer — at UNC Health in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, an hour-and-a-half drive from their home in Eden.
Her mother, Britany Super, described it as Ollie's "last option."
But in early March, Super recalled, UNC Health's financial office told them the bad news: The state's new insurance for kids in foster care wasn't going to pay for the treatment.
In December, Ollie became one of hundreds of thousands of kids nationwide enrolled in a special kind of public health insurance for people served by the foster care system. That insurance, known as a specialized managed care plan, is part of Medicaid, the federal-state program that covers health costs for people with low incomes or disabilities.
Ollie Super, 8, poses for a portrait with her adoptive parents, Britany and Jason, on Wednesday, Mar. 25, 2026, at their home in Eden, N.C. Ollie has moved in and out of cancer treatment since she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma as a toddler in foster care.
Allison Lee Isley for KFF Health News
North Carolina is one of 14 states with such specialized foster care plans, according to the National Academy for State Health Policy. The plans differ by state, but each is meant to expand coverage for children in the foster care system — and for kids who were adopted out of it, such as Ollie and her siblings.
Yet, as in other states that have struggled when adding such plans, North Carolina families have faced hurdles obtaining care. Thousands of doctors whose services were covered under Medicaid were not included in the specialized plan — which is costing the state $3.1 billion over four years — when it rolled out on Dec. 1. That left guardians and parents of kids adopted out of the system scrambling to figure out whether they would have to find new health care providers or new insurance.
In North Carolina, the insurance plan's stumbles have added another layer of complication around health care issues. The state — like many others — is already
grappling with uncertainty
over expected
Medicaid cuts
in the wake of congressional Republicans' One Big Beautiful Bill Act. A separate Medicaid funding shortfall also prompted a push to cut care providers' reimbursement rates.
Texas, which established its plan 18 years ago,
found in recent years
that its foster families also had a hard time finding doctors on the insurance. In
Florida
, researchers for the state reported as early as 2016 that there was
a lack of providers accepting its plan
.
Illinois' plan
prompted an investigation
by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services over a lack of access to care. Research concluded that California's plan
did not provide
children with adequate mental health services. Georgia's
access problems
alarmed state officials enough to
prompt pending legislation
calling for children to be removed from the plan and put back on other Medicaid plans.
But such specialized plans for kids in foster care continue to gain traction. Four states have started their own plans in the past five years, said
Karen VanLandeghem
, the senior director of children and family health at the National Academy for State Health Policy, and she said it's likely more will adopt them soon.
Only a handful of states publish numbers
showing how these programs are faring, Medicaid policy analysts said. It's therefore difficult to know why they've run into rollout problems or whether they've improved access to care. That makes the plans risky, said
Andy Schneider
, a research professor at Georgetown University's Center for Children and Families.
"The states that are going in this direction, unless they have data to support it, are experimenting," Schneider said. "They're putting all their eggs in one basket, so they need to pay close attention."
Rough rollout
North Carolina's specialized insurance plan for foster kids experienced problems the day it rolled out.
The state automatically enrolled Ollie and about 32,000 other people in
its specialized plan
, called
Healthy Blue Care Together
. North Carolina officials had said the program would improve health care access for foster children, who often have medically complex needs and move frequently.
But foster families quickly began hearing that their health care providers were not taking the insurance, according to several families who recounted their experiences fighting to get their children's procedures covered under the plan.
UNC Health, a state-run health system that is
one of the largest care providers in North Carolina
, with nearly 4,400 physicians,
would not sign on to the state's plan
initially, which is why it told Super that Ollie

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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
N/A

### Areas for Consideration
- It's therefore difficult to know why they've run into rollout problems or whether they've improved access to care.

### Implications
- Allison Lee Isley for KFF Health News North Carolina is one of 14 states with such specialized foster care plans, according to the National Academy for State Health Policy.
- Four states have started their own plans in the past five years, said Karen VanLandeghem , the senior director of children and family health at the National Academy for State Health Policy, and she said it's likely more will adopt them soon.
- Only a handful of states publish numbers showing how these programs are faring, Medicaid policy analysts said.
- Ollie will need more chemotherapy before her body is ready for the more advanced treatment.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers health, care, ollie topics. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 1501.