The US Department of Education has proposed to eliminate the requirement that parents of children with disabilities sign consent to have a school bill Medicaid for school-based services such as speech, physical or occupational therapy, nursing services, etc. This requirement is part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which also says that children cannot lose any benefits as a result of their parents signing consent for schools to bill Medicaid for school-based services.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has already removed the requirement for schools to obtain consent in their recent guidance, Delivering Service in School-Based Settings: A Comprehensive Guide to Medicaid Services and Administrative Claiming.

Some parents have shared that their child’s outpatient services (services at home, in the community, or at a provider’s office), were reduced, or eliminated, when they signed consent for the school to bill Medicaid for services. The Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) did a survey of their members. Their members told them that this was not happening.

AJE thinks it is important for families to have voice in this discussion as well, so if you were asked by your school or district to sign consent to bill Medicaid for services delivered to your child in school, please answer the brief survey below.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9MFXMPY