South Michigan News: House committee escalates oversight of autism therapy provider after no response

Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg and Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee Chairman Rick W. Allen sent a second letter on Aug. 21 to Simcha Bendet, founder of The Perfect Child, after receiving no response to the Committee’s initial oversight inquiry. The Committee is investigating allegations of predatory practices by autism therapy providers following recent reporting that included The Perfect Child.

In their letter, Walberg and Allen said, “With this letter, the Committee is making a second request for information from The Perfect Child, LLC. To date, the Committee has not received any response to its initial July 6, 2026, request letter from either you or anyone on behalf of your company.”

The letter continued, “The Committee’s inquiry was prompted by a recent Wall Street Journal article detailing allegations that autism therapy providers submitted unusually large insurance claims, charged rates that substantially exceeded prevailing market prices, generated significant out-of-network reimbursement demands, and sought payment directly from families following reimbursement disputes. Your failure to respond to the Committee’s initial request has only served to heighten the Committee’s concerns.”

The letter concluded, “Please provide complete responses to the above-listed 12 requests by no later than September 4, 2026. Failure to do so could result in the Committee issuing a subpoena for these records or taking other actions.”

The House Education and Workforce Committee manages federal programs concerning education, labor, health and workforce development; influences policy on issues such as student loans and worker protections; and serves in the legislative sector with jurisdiction over education and labor matters, according to the official website.