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Senate Passes Bill to Restore Medicaid Reimbursement to Schools

Dan Tuohy / NHPR

 

The New Hampshire State Senate approved a bipartisan bill on Thursday to help schools get reimbursed for providing medicaid-eligible services. 

The bill comes after months of confusion over how schools can take advantage of the Medicaid to Schools Program, which allows schools to receive reimbursement for providing services like check-ups, counseling, and speech pathology to students eligible for Medicaid, as long as the services come from a Medicaid-participating provider.

This financial arrangement came to a halt last summer, when the federal government told New Hampshire it was not in compliance with Medicaid laws. 

This bill, SB684,would kick the reimbursement process back in gear, in part by helping school staff qualify as Medicaid-eligible providers.

Its primary sponsor, Democratic Senator Jay Kahn said schools were currently facing a total of approximately $29 million in lost reimbursements this year. 

Republican Senator Jeb Bradley of Wolfeboro noted that the bill, which Governor Chris Sununu supports, could affect approximately 11,000 children who rely on Medicaid to schools. 

“It is important for this bill to be fast tracked to ensure schools do not bear the financial burden of paying for these services without reimbursement,” he said.

 

Sarah Gibson joined NHPR's newsroom in 2018. She reports on education and demographics.
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