Recent headlines about Medicaid have highlighted just how important the program is for many families throughout the country, but did you know that Medicaid also plays a critical role in many DC charter schools? More than 30 of DC’s Charter schools rely on Medicaid funding to offset the costs of providing necessary health services to students with disabilities.
Medicaid and Special Education
Under IDEA, the law that governs special education, schools must provide school-based health services such as speech, occupational therapy, and counseling to eligible students with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Funding for these services come out of the local school budget which is often stretched thin. As public schools that provide health related IEP services, DC Charters can be reimbursed for a portion of their operating costs through Medicaid. But not without help!
Helping DC Schools Navigate Medicaid Reimbursement
The Co-op launched our School Based Medicaid support program nearly 20 years ago with the vision of helping DC charter schools tap into Medicaid reimbursement as a way of stretching their special education budgets. Our goal was to help get this funding back into the special education programs so schools could improve outcomes for students with disabilities. Medicaid frees up funds needed to improve service offerings for students, hire additional service providers and aides, offer robust professional development, and purchase specialized equipment and curricula.
Initially, the Co-op’s Medicaid program was designed to provide a streamlined service that would alleviate the time-consuming administrative burden for schools, leaving them to focus more on their core educational mission. From its inception, the program sought to help schools reduce costs while taking on the logistical and regulatory challenges associated with getting reimbursement. The Co-op has expanded its offerings to a comprehensive suite of services aimed at supporting DC charter schools with all things Medicaid. We now offer assistance with the complex enrollment process, improved compliance with regulations, as well as ongoing annual audit support.
Over the last few years the Co-op’s program has seen remarkable growth and success, nearly doubling the number of participating schools. This growth is a direct result of the Co-op’s proven ability to help schools navigate the complex Medicaid landscape with efficiency and accuracy. This success is also reflected in the financial impacts on participating schools. In the past five years alone, we have helped bring back more than $25M to DC charter schools, showcasing the significant financial impact Medicaid has on funding in the sector – funding that is directly tied to specialists, services, and materials schools need to ensure students with disabilities thrive.
The Future of School-Based Medicaid
Cuts to Medicaid funding at the federal level would have significant impacts on states, school districts, and people who rely on Medicaid to access healthcare – one third of whom are school-aged children. A recent survey of 1,440 school district leaders from all 50 states and DC found that cuts to Medicaid would result in reduced school health staffing levels as well as cuts to assistive technology and specialized equipment for students with disabilities.
While uncertainty around Medicaid remains, the Co-op is committed to supporting DC charter schools efforts to build and sustain high quality special education programming and will continue to advocate for this critical funding source for DC schools.