Medicaid Funding for Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)
Education is paid for through federal, state, and local taxes.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) '97 has been
a significant factor in improving opportunities for children with
disabilities throughout this country. Maine, like other states
has benefitted from this legislation. However, Congress never
funded services to children with disabilities at the levels promised.
To help meet some of the costs of the legal obligations to students
with special needs, some local school units have recently begun
to bill Medicaid for eligible services.
Examples of Medicaid-eligible services currently being delivered
in Maine's schools are:
- Day treatment
- Early Intervention Services
- School Health Services
- School Based Rehabilitation Services
- Occupational Therapy
- Speech/Language Therapy
- Physical Therapy
- Some Mental Health Services
Annually you will be asked to sign a Release of Information.
This gives permission for the school to bill Medicaid for these
services.
In order for Medicaid to pay for services, the services must
be considered medically necessary. Referral requirements vary
depending on the type of service being billed. It is the responsibility
of the school to get this referral.
If a school unit uses Medicaid funding to pay for a piece of
durable medical equipment (i.e.: an augmentative communication
system, wheelchair), the student/family owns the equipment. As
always, the school is responsible for providing FAPE no matter
which sources of funding (i.e.: Medicaid, IDEA, local funds, etc.)
are used.
FMI: See Maine State Education Regulations
(MSER), Chapter 101, Section 18.8.
