PPEC Frequently Asked Questions – Serving Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Lehigh Acres, North Fort Myers & San Carlos

Thrive Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care (PPEC) in Fort Myers is open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., providing full-day skilled nursing, therapies, and developmental support for medically complex children and their families.

Yes. Transportation to and from Thrive PPEC is available for eligible children and is coordinated through approved transportation brokers, based on physician orders, medical necessity, and coverage through Medicaid or managed care plans.

Transportation services are typically arranged for children who live within Lee County, including communities such as Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Lehigh Acres, North Fort Myers, and San Carlos Park. Each child’s situation is reviewed and managed by the transportation broker, who determines eligibility based on distance, medical need, and plan guidelines.

Some families prefer to transport their child to the center themselves because it is the best fit for their schedule and their child’s comfort. Family-arranged transportation is always welcomed, and our team will work with you to coordinate safe drop-off and pick-up routines.

We provide on-site speech, respiratory, physical, occupational, and feeding therapies within the PPEC setting. Delivering these therapies on-site allows children to receive treatment in a familiar environment, reduces the need for multiple appointments across town, and supports coordination between therapists and nursing staff.

In Florida, children from birth through 21 years of age may qualify for Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care (PPEC) services when they require ongoing skilled nursing care, medical monitoring, or coordinated therapies as ordered by their physician. PPEC is designed for medically fragile or technology-dependent children who need more support than a traditional daycare or school setting can safely provide.

In everyday terms, children often qualify for PPEC if they:

• Have complex medical conditions such as congenital heart or lung disease, neurological or genetic conditions, seizure disorders, metabolic or endocrine disorders, or complications related to prematurity or surgery.
• Use or require medical equipment at home, including tracheostomies, ventilators, oxygen support, suction machines, feeding tubes (NG, G-tube, J-tube), apnea monitors, pulse oximeters, or specialized wheelchairs and positioning devices.
• Need frequent or scheduled medications that must be given and monitored by nursing staff, such as seizure medications, respiratory treatments, injections (like insulin), cardiac medications, or other complex medication regimens.
• Benefit from regular therapies—such as physical, occupational, speech, respiratory, and feeding therapy—coordinated with their medical care in a structured setting.

Final eligibility for PPEC is determined by the child’s medical provider and Medicaid (or their managed care plan) based on medical necessity, safety, and suitability for care in a PPEC environment.

Thrive PPEC services are covered through Florida Medicaid and Medicaid-managed care plans for eligible children who meet medical necessity criteria. Medicaid reviews documentation from the child’s physician and authorizes PPEC services when appropriate, including the number of days and hours per week.

You can learn more about Medicaid coverage for PPEC services at the official Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) page:
Florida Medicaid – Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care (PPEC)