Posted on 11/07/2026 11:26:23 AM PST by Morgana
PROSPECT, Tenn. (WSMV) - Every tap on wind chimes, ringing of the doorbell, and clapping with her mother is part of the language of 15-year-old Sophia Finocchio.
Sophia has Down syndrome, is nonverbal and has autism. For years, her family spent much of their days trying to understand her needs. But beginning in July 2025, Sophia made noticeable behavioral strides through in-home applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy provided by a company called The Perfect Child.
On its website, The Perfect Child advertises that it works with most commercial insurance plans and offers financial assistance.
What Sophia’s family did not anticipate was the bill that arrived in the mail after a year of treatment: a demand for $1.48 million.
“I almost had a heart attack,” said Sophia’s mother, Kiersten Messier. “You know, I don’t know where this is going. Are we going to court? Probably. I don’t really know.”
Now, a WSMV4 investigation has found that another Tennessee family is facing a six-figure bill from the company after insurance claims were denied — and the provider is already under active federal scrutiny from Congress over “unusually large insurance claims.”
$10,000 for a Three-Hour Session
Sophia’s family said the progress she made working with the in-house therapist was encouraging. But when the family’s health insurer began denying coverage, Messier started examining the billing records.
The invoices revealed that The Perfect Child was submitting claims under multiple entity names, including Growing Scholars, Simply Stars, and Precision ABA Group.
More alarming were the amounts: every single claim submitted was billed at approximately $10,000 for a single three-hour therapy session. On multiple occasions, records showed double billing on the same date, reaching $20,000 in a single day.
“It’s an extraordinarily high amount of money. It’s a ridiculous amount of money,” Messier said. “I’m like, why are there so many claims for this date? Like, what is going on?”
As claim denials mounted, the company then launched a barrage of phone calls, text messages, and emails pressuring the family to force their insurer to pay.
“It felt like they were after me to get these claims paid, get these claims paid, get these claims paid,” Messier said.
Then came a legal letter demanding the full $1.48 million balance — along with an ultimatum: sign over a limited power of attorney for Sophia so the company could pursue recovery directly against the health insurer on her behalf, or remain personally on the hook for the entire sum.
“I thought it was the craziest thing I’d ever seen in my entire life,” Messier said. ‘Where Did the Lines Get Crossed?’
The Messiers are not alone.
In Clarksville, Jason Elkins enrolled his daughter with autism in The Perfect Child for three years. Initial email exchanges assured the family their out-of-pocket obligation would be around $102 a month after insurance.
Instead, after their insurer began denying claims, the company billed the Elkins family more than $364,000.
“We were angry. We were very upset, very sad,” Elkins told WSMV4 Investigates. “Like, you know, where did the lines get crossed here?”
A Brooklyn Brownstone, Not an Office
To get answers, WSMV4 Investigates traveled to Brooklyn, New York, to the East 31st Street address listed on corporate filings and on payment instructions sent to Tennessee families.
Instead of a commercial corporate office, the address led to a residential home.
Public records show the property is owned by Simcha Bendet, who is listed on the company’s website as executive director. A lawyer bearing the same last name signed the formal collection demand sent to the Messier family.
When Chief Investigative Reporter Jeremy Finley knocked on the door, a woman answered:
Finley: “Is this the location for The Perfect Child?”
Woman: “I live here.”
Finley: “Are you related to Mr. Bendet?”
Woman: “Do I have to answer you?”
Finley: “I’m a journalist; I’m trying to find him.”
The woman took a business card and offered to ask Bendet to call. As of publication, Bendet and The Perfect Child have not responded to requests for comment by phone and through email.
The same day WSMV4 Investigates visited the Messier family, they received a voicemail from a company representative: Sophia’s therapy was terminated immediately.
“It’s scary to think about because we were really... give me just a second,” Messier said, holding back tears. “We were really getting somewhere.” Under Congressional Investigation
WSMV4 Investigates confirmed that lawmakers on Capitol Hill are already examining the company’s billing conduct.
In August, the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce sent a formal inquiry to Simcha Bendet confirming a congressional investigation into the company’s healthcare pricing practices, specifically citing “unusually large insurance claims” and reporting from the Wall Street Journal.
The Elkins family is now taking part in a planned class action lawsuit with a law firm out of NYC. The firms confirmed to WSMV4 Investigates that the lawsuit should be filed this week.
WSMV4 Investigates will share its findings with congressional investigators and continue tracking developments in this case.
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Yup, it’s fine to talk to the press, but the first person you need to talk to is your lawyer.
If you don’t have a lawyer get one!
“To get answers, WSMV4 Investigates traveled to Brooklyn, New York, to the East 31st Street address listed on corporate filings and on payment instructions sent to Tennessee families.
Instead of a commercial corporate office, the address led to a residential home.
Public records show the property is owned by Simcha Bendet, who is listed on the company’s website as executive director. A lawyer bearing the same last name signed the formal collection demand sent to the Messier family. “
property is owned by Simcha Bendet. Somali?
So she didn’t ask what the therapy would cost? Or first place a call to insurance company to ask if they would cover it?
We already have American-style socialist health care.
Government writes the rules for cronies who get to play in the health-care space. Then they force working people to buy coverage, and Fed.gov printed money and debt fills in the difference.
Probably should see what the therapist would charge for private sessions.
And yeah, they need a lawyer but if they pay token amounts in the mean time this should not show on their credit. (Check all local laws, your state, city and country may vary)
The.
Article.
The.
Article.
Surely.
You.
Jest.
🤡
“So she didn’t ask what the therapy would cost? Or first place a call to insurance company to ask if they would cover it?”
Are these people are really that stupid? My conspiracy theory is that these are Democrats who were paid to provide a woe is me story to be the face of a government takeover of health care.
Hey.Snot.I.Did.Read.The.Article.And.The.Same.Questions.Remain.
You’re right. Read the article.
Nope. Jewish.
So journalists are investigating? Not our AG? Fraud?
Nov. 8, 2022
MERIDIAN, Miss. (WTOK)
Simcha Bendet, said The Growing Tree will offer ABA Therapy for children with autism.
https://www.wtok.com/2022/11/08/city-county-officials-welcome-new-business-queen-city/
Once the public becomes outraged things began to be done at the government level.
Shouldn't be that way. But it is.
Behavior Technician fees range from $50 to $75 per hour
Board Certified Behavior Analyst charges between $100 and $150 per hour
Clinic or specialized program rates from $120 to $200 per hour
https://abanavigator.com/resources/articles/aba-therapy-cost-per-hour
The page has links.
That’s so true most places, but TN usually is on top of things.
In our health care system, cost and coverage questions are usually met with answers that are vague or are so complicated that they defy understanding. Worse, the system is designed to accommodate fraud and dishonesty by providers and insurers. Astonishingly, health care insurers are even exempt from the antitrust laws so they can collaborate as cronies instead of being genuine business competitors.
Tennessee can ask but if New York is not interested they are left hanging.
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