TITLE XV
EDUCATION

CHAPTER 186-C
SPECIAL EDUCATION

Medicaid to Schools Program

Section 186-C:25

    186-C:25 Medicaid to Schools Program Established. –
I. The department of health and human services Medicaid reimbursement program shall be known as the "Medicaid to schools" program, providing medical assistance for covered services furnished to children with disabilities who are enrolled in Medicaid. The purpose of the program is to seek any and all Medicaid reimbursement for medical and health-related services provided by local school districts and school administrative units to children with disabilities which are reimbursable under federal law but which were previously fully funded by such districts or administrative units. The program shall be voluntary and is designed to assist children with disabilities by maintaining them in their own homes and communities. The program shall be administered in the same, or similar, manner as the Medicaid to schools for medical services program established in RSA 167:3-k. This subdivision is intended to provide Medicaid funding for services which, in the absence of such funding, nevertheless qualify as special education or related services under this chapter. It is not the intention of this subdivision to increase school district responsibility or liability beyond what is required by other sections of this chapter.
II. A reimbursable service under this section shall be:
(a) A covered New Hampshire Medicaid state plan service determined by a Medicaid qualified provider to meet accepted standards of medical practice for the service, or such other necessary health care, diagnostic services, treatment, and other measures described in section 1905(a) of the Social Security Act through the Early and Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit if medically necessary, meaning that the item or service is reasonably calculated to prevent, diagnose, correct, cure, alleviate, or prevent the worsening of conditions that endanger life, cause pain, result in illness or infirmity, threaten to cause or aggravate a handicap, or cause physical deformity or malfunction, and no other equally effective course of treatment is available or suitable for the student or individual requesting the medically necessary service;
(b) Provided to a Medicaid enrolled child after obtaining parental consent;
(c) Provided by a Medicaid qualified provider; and
(d) Provided in compliance with applicable state and federal law and rules.
(e) Services delivered through telehealth, as defined in RSA 167:4-d.
III. Services provided under this subdivision shall:
(a) Offer the least restrictive setting for children receiving the services.
(b) Be in addition to any special education program as defined in the New Hampshire rules for the education of children with disabilities.
III-a. Any provider who orders, refers, prescribes, renders, or provides services under this section shall do so in accordance with the relevant health professional practice act and regulations including, but not limited to, RSA 137-F, RSA 317-A, RSA 326-B, RSA 326-C, RSA 326-E, RSA 326-F, RSA 326-H, RSA 327, RSA 328-A, RSA 328-D, RSA 328-F, RSA 329, RSA 329-B, RSA 330-A, and RSA 330-C.
IV. The commissioner of the department of health and human services, after consultation with the commissioner of the department of education, shall adopt rules, pursuant to RSA 541-A, relative to:
(a) State plans and reimbursement procedures necessary for local school districts or school administrative units to receive appropriate Medicaid reimbursement for eligible services under paragraph II of this section that are provided or paid for by school districts or school administrative units. Such rules shall recognize the financial obligation of the department of health and human services, and that any disputes between the department of health and human services and a school district or school administrative unit regarding whether such reimbursement is required shall be resolved pursuant to RSA 186-C:7-a.
(b) Monitoring mechanisms to ensure that services provided under this subdivision meet the requirements of paragraph III of this section. Monitoring responsibilities shall be consistent with the jurisdiction of the different departments.
(c) A financial mechanism by which the federal mandatory matching requirement is met through collection, or other means, of 50 percent of the cost of allowable services from local school districts and/or school administrative units.
V. The commissioner of the department of health and human services, after consultation with the commissioner of the department of education, shall adopt rules, pursuant to RSA 541-A, relative to further defining services eligible for medicaid reimbursement under this subdivision.
VI. New Hampshire local school districts or school administrative units shall be the enrolled Medicaid providers for the purpose of administration and billing.
VII. Beginning on September 1, 2018, the commissioner of the department of health and human services shall submit an annual report to the senate president, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the chairpersons of the house and senate finance committees regarding the total cost of the Medicaid to schools program and the number of students who received services through the program during the prior school year.

Source. 1990, 272:1. 1995, 310:151. 2008, 302:26. 2017, 187:2, eff. Aug. 28, 2017. 2020, 6:2, eff. Mar. 9, 2020; 27:34, eff. July 21, 2020.